autobiography of a pocket-handkerchief-第8章

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unnatural　restraints　of　a　town；　will　best　know　how　to　appreciate。　Still　it
was　made　without　a　murmur；　though　not　without　a　sigh。

When　Adrienne　laid　me　on　the　frame　where　I　was　to　be　ornamented　by
her　own　pretty　hands；　she　regarded　me　with　a　look　of　delight；　nay；　even
of　affection；　that　I　shall　never　forget。　As　yet　she　felt　none　of　the　malign
consequences　of　the　self…denial　she　was　about　to　exert。　If　not　blooming；
her　cheeks　still　retained　some　of　their　native　color；　and　her　eye；
thoughtful　and　even　sad；　was　not　yet　anxious　and　sunken。　She　was
pleased　with　her　purchase；　and　she　contemplated　prodigies　in　the　way
of　results。　Adrienne　was　unusually　skillful　with　the　needle；　and　her　taste
had　been　so　highly　cultivated；　as　to　make　her　a　perfect　mistress　of　all
the　proprieties　of　patterns。　At　the　time　it　was　thought　of　making　an
offering　of　all　our　family　to　the　dauphine；　the　idea　of　working　the
handkerchiefs　was　entertained；　and　some　designs　of　exquisite　beauty
and　neatness　had　been　prepared。　They　were　not　simple；　vulgar；
unmeaning　ornaments；　such　as　the　uncultivated　seize　upon　with　avidity
on　account　of　their　florid　appearance；　but　well　devised　drawings；　that
were　replete　with　taste　and　thought；　and　afforded　some　apology　for　the
otherwise　senseless　luxury　contemplated；　by　aiding　in　refining　the
imagination；　and　cultivating　the　intellect。　She　had　chosen　one　of　the
simplest　and　most　beautiful　of　these　designs；　intending　to　transfer　it　to
my　face；　by　means　of　the　needle。

The　first　stitch　was　made　just　as　the　clocks　were　striking　the　hour　of
five；　on　the　morning　of　the　fourteenth　of　April；　1831。　The　last　was
drawn　that　day　two　months；　precisely　as　the　same　clocks　struck　twelve。
For　four　hours　Adrienne　sat　bending　over　her　toil；　deeply　engrossed　in
the　occupation；　and　flattering　herself　with　the　fruits　of　her　success。　I
learned　much　of　the　excellent　child's　true　character　in　these　brief　hours。
Her　mind　wandered　over　her　hopes　and　fears；　recurring　to　her　other
labors；　and　the　prices　she　received　for　occupations　so　wearying　and
slavish。　By　the　milliner；　she　was　paid　merely　as　a　common　sewing…girl；
though　her　neatness；　skill　and　taste　might　well　have　entitled　her　to
double　wages。　A　franc　a　day　was　the　usual　price　for　girls　of　an　inferior
caste；　and　out　of　this　they　were　expected　to　find　their　own　lodgings　and
food。　But　the　poor　revolution　had　still　a　great　deal　of　private　misery　to
answer　for；　in　the　way　of　reduced　wages。　Those　who　live　on　the
frivolities　of　mankind；　or；　what　is　the　same　thing；　their　luxuries；　have　two
sets　of　victims　to　plunderthe　consumer；　and　the　real　producer；　or　the
operative。　This　is　true　where　men　are　employed；　but　much　truer　in　the
case　of　females。　The　last　are　usually　so　helpless；　that　they　often　cling　to
oppression　and　wrong；　rather　than　submit　to　be　cast　entirely　upon　the
world。　The　marchande　de　mode　who　employed　Adrienne　was　as　rusee
as　a　politician　who　had　followed　all　the　tergiversations　of　Gallic　policy；
since　the　year　'89。　She　was　fully　aware　of　what　a　prize　she　possessed　in
the　unpracticed　girl；　and　she　felt　the　importance　of　keeping　her　in
ignorance　of　her　own　value。　By　paying　the　franc；　it　might　give　her
assistant　premature　notions　of　her　own　importance；　but；　by　bringing　her
down　to　fifteen　sous；　humility　could　be　inculcated；　and　the　chance　of
keeping　her　doubled。　This；　which　would　have　defeated　a　bargain　with
any　common　couturiere；　succeeded　perfectly　with　Adrienne。　She
received　her　fifteen　sous　with　humble　thankfulness；　in　constant
apprehension　of　losing　even　that　miserable　pittance。　Nor　would　her
employer　consent　to　let　her　work　by　the　piece；　at　which　the　dear　child
might　have　earned　at　least　thirty　sous；　for　she　discovered　that　she　had　to
deal　with　a　person　of　conscience；　and　that　in　no　mode　could　as　much　be
possibly　extracted　from　the　assistant；　as　by　confiding　to　her　own　honor。
At　nine　each　day　she　was　to　breakfast。　At　a　quarter　past　nine；　precisely；
to　commence　work　for　her　employer；　at　one；　she　had　a　remission　of　half
an　hour；　and　at　six；　she　became　her　own　mistress。

｛marchande　de　mode　=　milliner；　rusee　=　crafty；　couturiere　=
seamstress｝

〃I　put　confidence　in　you；　mademoiselle；〃　said　the　marchande　de　mode；
〃and　leave　you　to　yourself　entirely。　You　will　bring　home　the　work　as　it　is
finished；　and　your　money　will　be　always　ready。　Should　your
grandmother　occupy　more　of　your　time　than　common；　on　any　occasion；
you　can　make　it　up　of　yourself；　by　working　a　little　earlier；　or　a　little　later；
or；　once　in　a　while；　you　can　throw　in　a　day；　to　make　up　for　lost　time。
You　would　not　do　as　well　at　piecework；　and　I　wish　to　deal　generously
by　you。　When　certain　things　are　wanted　in　a　hurry；　you　will　not　mind
working　an　hour　or　two　beyond　time；　and　I　will　always　find　lights　with
the　greatest　pleasure。　Permit　me　to　advise　you　to　take　the　intermissions
as　much　as　possible　for　your　attentions　to　your　grandmother；　who　must
be　attended　to　properly。　Sithe　care　of　our　parents　is　one　of　our　most
solemn　duties！　Adieu；　mademoiselle；　au　revoir！〃

｛find　lights　=　supply　candles；　si　=　yes　indeed｝

This　was　one　of　the　speeches　of　the　marchande　de　mode　to　Adrienne；
and　the　dear　girl　repeated　it　in　her　mind；　as　she　sat　at　work　on　me；
without　the　slightest　distrust　of　the　heartless　selfishness　it　so　ill
concealed。　On　fifteen　sous　she　found　she　could　live　without　encroaching
on　the　little　stock　set　apart　for　the　support　of　her　grandmother；　and　she
was　content。　Alas！　The　poor　girl　had　not　entered　into　any　calculation　of
the　expense　of　lodgings；　of　fuel；　of　clothes；　of　health　impaired；　and　as
for　any　resources　for　illness　or　accidents；　she　was　totally　without　them。
Still　Adrienne　thought　herself　the　obliged　party；　in　times　as　critical　as
those　which　then　hung　over　France；　in　being　permitted　to　toil　for　a　sum
that　would　barely　supply　a　grisette；　accustomed　all　her　life　to　privations；
with　the　coarsest　necessaries。

｛grisette　=　working…class　girl｝

I　have　little　to　say　of　the　succeeding　fortnight。　Mad。　De　la　Rocheaimard
gradually　grew　feebler；　but　she　might　still　live　months。　No　one　could　tell；
and　Adrienne　hoped　she　would　never　die。　Happily；　her　real　wants　were
few；　though　her　appetite　was　capricious；　and　her　temper　querulous。
Love　for　her　grandchild；　however；　shone　in　all　she　said　and　did；　and　so
long　as　she　was　loved　by　this；　the　only　being　on　earth　she　had　ever　been
taught　to　love　herself；　Adrienne　would　not　think　an　instant　of　the　ills
caused　by　the　infirmities　of　age。　She　husbanded　her　money；　with　the
utmost　frugality；　and　contrived　to　save　even　a　few　sous　daily；　out　of　her
own　wages；　to　add　to　her　grandmother's　stock。　This　she　could　not　have
done；　but　for　the　circumstance　of　there　being　so　much　in　the　house　of
their　early　stores；　to　help　eke　out　the　supplies　of　the　moment。　But；　at　the
end　of　a　fortnight；　Adrienne　found　herself　reduced　to　her　last　franc；
including　all　her　own　savings。　Something　must　be　done；　and　that　without
delay；　or　Madame　de　la　Rocheaimard　would　be　without　the　means　of
support。

By　this　time　Adrienne　had　little　to　dispose　of；　except　the　lace。　This
exquisite　piece　of　human　ingenuity　had　originally　cost　five　louis　d'or；　and
Adrienne　had　once　shown　it　to　her　employer；　who　had　generously
offered　to　give　two　napoleons　for　it。　But　the　lace　must　be　kept　for　my
gala　dress；　and　it　was　hoped　that　it　would　bring　at　least　its　original　cost
when　properly　bestowed　as　an　ornament　on　a　fabric　of　my　quality。
There　was　the　silver　thimble；　and　that　had　cost　five　francs。　Adrienne
sent　for　the　porter's　daughter；　and　she　went　forth　to　dispose　of　this；
almost　the　only　article　of　luxury　that　remained　to　her。

｛louis　d'or　=　gold　coin　worth　20　francs｝

〃Un　de；　ma　bonne　demoiselle！〃　exclaimed　the　woman　to　whom　the
thimble　was　offered　for　sale；　this　is　so　common　an　article　as　scarcely　to
command　any　price。　I　will　give　thirty　sous；　notwithstanding。〃

｛Un　de。。。。　=　A　thimble；　young　lady！｝

Adrienne　had　made　her　calculations；　as　she　fancied；　with　some　attention
to　the　ways　of　the　world。　Bitter　experience　was　teaching　her　severe
lessons；　and　she　felt　the　necessity　of　paying　more　attention　than　had
been　her　wont　to　the　practices　of　men。　She　had　hoped　to　receive　three
francs　for　her　thimble；　which　was　quite　new；　and　which；　being　pretty；
was　cheap　at　five；　as　sold　in　the　shops。　She　ventured；　therefore；　to
express　as　much　to　the　woman　in　question。

〃Three　francs；　Mademoiselle！〃　exclaimed　the　other〃Jamais；　since　the
three　days！　All　our　commerce　was　then　destroyed；　and　no　one　would
think　of　giving　such　a　price。　If　I　get　three　for　it　myself　I　shall　be　too
happy。　Cependant；　as　the　thimble　is　pretty；　and　the　metal　looks　good；
we　will　say　five　and　thirty　sous；　and　have　no　more　words　about　it。〃

｛Jamais　=　never；　three　days　=　the　three　days　of　the　July　Revolution；
Cependant　=　nevertheless｝

Adrienne　sighed；　and　then　she　received　the　money　and　returned　home。
Two　hours　later　the　woman　of　the　shop　met　with　an　idle　customer　who
had　more　money　than　discretion；　and　she　sold　this　very　thimble　for　six
francs；　under　the　plea　that　it　was　a　new　fashion　that　had　sprung　out　of
the　Revolution　of　July。　That　illustrious　event；　however；　produced　other
results　that　were　quite　as　hard　to　be　reduced　to　the　known　connection
between　cause　and　effect　as　this。

Adrienne　found　that　by　using　the　wine　which　still　remained；　as　well　as
some　sugar　and　arrowroot；　her　grandmother　could　be　made
comfortable　for　just　ten　sous　a　day。　She　had　been　able　to　save　of　her
own　wages　three；　and　here；　then；　were　the　means　of　maintaining
Madame　de　la　Rocheaimard；　including　the　franc　on　hand；　for　just　a
week　longer。　To　do　this；　however；　some　little　extra　economy　would　be
necessary。　Adrienne　had　conscientiously　taken　the　time　used　to　sell　the
thimble　from　her　morning's　work　on　me。　As　she　sat　down；　on　her
return；　she　went　over　these　calculations　in　her　mind；　and　when　they
were　ended；　she　cast　a　look　at　her　work；　as　if　to　calculate　its　duration
by　what　she　had　so　far　finished。　Her　eye　assured　her　that　not　more　than
one　fourth　of　her　labor　was；　as　yet；　completed。　Could　she　get　over　the
next　six　weeks；　however；　she　would　be　comparatively　rich；　and；　as　her
lease　would　be　out　in　two　months；　she　determined　to　get　cheaper
lodgings　in　the　country；　remove　her　grandmother；　purchase　another
handkerchiefif　possible　one　of　my　familyand　while　she　lived　on　the
fruits　of　her　present　labors；　to　earn　the　means　for　a　still　more　remote
day。　It　is　true；　she　had　no　more　lace　with　which　to　decorate　another
handkerchief；　but　the　sale　of　this　would　supply　the　money　to　purchase
anew；　and　in　this　way　the　simple　minded　girl　saw　no　reason　why　she
might　not　continue　on　as　long　as　health　and　strength　would　allowat
least　as　long　as　her　grandmother　lived。

Hope　is　as　blessed　a　provision　for　the　poor　and　unhappy　as　occupation。
While　oppressed　with　present　ills　they　struggle　to　obtain　a　fancied
existence　under　happier　auspices；　furnishing　a　healthful　and　important
lesson　to　man；　that　never　ceases　to　remind　him　of　a　future　that　is　to
repair　every　wrong；　apply　a　balm　to　every　wound；　if　he　will　only　make　a
timely　provision　for　its　wants。

Again　did　Adrienne　resume　her　customary　r