按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
corrections from her lodgers。
The central space between the walls is filled with artichokes and
rows of pyramid fruit…trees； and surrounded by a border of
lettuce； pot…herbs； and parsley。 Under the lime…trees there are a
few green…painted garden seats and a wooden table； and hither；
during the dog…days； such of the lodgers as are rich enough to
indulge in a cup of coffee come to take their pleasure； though it
is hot enough to roast eggs even in the shade。
The house itself is three stories high； without counting the
attics under the roof。 It is built of rough stone； and covered
with the yellowish stucco that gives a mean appearance to almost
every house in Paris。 There are five windows in each story in the
front of the house； all the blinds visible through the small
square panes are drawn up awry； so that the lines are all at
cross purposes。 At the side of the house there are but two
windows on each floor； and the lowest of all are adorned with a
heavy iron grating。
Behind the house a yard extends for some twenty feet； a space
inhabited by a happy family of pigs； poultry； and rabbits； the
wood…shed is situated on the further side； and on the wall
between the wood…shed and the kitchen window hangs the meat…safe；
just above the place where the sink discharges its greasy
streams。 The cook sweeps all the refuse out through a little door
into the Rue Nueve…Sainte…Genevieve； and frequently cleanses the
yard with copious supplies of water； under pain of pestilence。
The house might have been built on purpose for its present uses。
Access is given by a French window to the first room on the
ground floor； a sitting…room which looks out upon the street
through the two barred windows already mentioned。 Another door
opens out of it into the dining…room； which is separated from the
kitchen by the well of the staircase； the steps being constructed
partly of wood； partly of tiles； which are colored and beeswaxed。
Nothing can be more depressing than the sight of that sitting…
room。 The furniture is covered with horse hair woven in alternate
dull and glossy stripes。 There is a round table in the middle；
with a purplish…red marble top； on which there stands； by way of
ornament； the inevitable white china tea…service； covered with a
half…effaced gilt network。 The floor is sufficiently uneven； the
wainscot rises to elbow height； and the rest of the wall space is
decorated with a varnished paper； on which the principal scenes
from Telemaque are depicted； the various classical personages
being colored。 The subject between the two windows is the banquet
given by Calypso to the son of Ulysses； displayed thereon for the
admiration of the boarders； and has furnished jokes these forty
years to the young men who show themselves superior to their
position by making fun of the dinners to which poverty condemns
them。 The hearth is always so clean and neat that it is evident
that a fire is only kindled there on great occasions； the stone
chimney…piece is adorned by a couple of vases filled with faded
artificial flowers imprisoned under glass shades； on either side
of a bluish marble clock in the very worst taste。
The first room exhales an odor for which there is no name in the
language； and which should be called the odeur de pension。 The
damp atmosphere sends a chill through you as you breathe it； it
has a stuffy； musty； and rancid quality； it permeates your
clothing； after…dinner scents seem to be mingled in it with
smells from the kitchen and scullery and the reek of a hospital。
It might be possible to describe it if some one should discover a
process by which to distil from the atmosphere all the nauseating
elements with which it is charged by the catarrhal exhalations of
every individual lodger； young or old。 Yet； in spite of these
stale horrors； the sitting…room is as charming and as delicately
perfumed as a boudoir； when compared with the adjoining dining…
room。
The paneled walls of that apartment were once painted some color；
now a matter of conjecture； for the surface is incrusted with
accumulated layers of grimy deposit； which cover it with
fantastic outlines。 A collection of dim…ribbed glass decanters；
metal discs with a satin sheen on them； and piles of blue…edged
earthenware plates of Touraine ware cover the sticky surfaces of
the sideboards that line the room。 In a corner stands a box
containing a set of numbered pigeon…holes； in which the lodgers'
table napkins； more or less soiled and stained with wine； are
kept。 Here you see that indestructible furniture never met with
elsewhere； which finds its way into lodging…houses much as the
wrecks of our civilization drift into hospitals for incurables。
You expect in such places as these to find the weather…house
whence a Capuchin issues on wet days； you look to find the
execrable engravings which spoil your appetite； framed every one
in a black varnished frame； with a gilt beading round it； you
know the sort of tortoise…shell clock…case； inlaid with brass；
the green stove； the Argand lamps； covered with oil and dust；
have met your eyes before。 The oilcloth which covers the long
table is so greasy that a waggish externe will write his name on
the surface； using his thumb…nail as a style。 The chairs are
broken…down invalids； the wretched little hempen mats slip away
from under your feet without slipping away for good； and finally；
the foot…warmers are miserable wrecks； hingeless； charred； broken
away about the holes。 It would be impossible to give an idea of
the old； rotten； shaky； cranky； worm…eaten； halt； maimed； one…
eyed； rickety； and ramshackle condition of the furniture without
an exhaustive description； which would delay the progress of the
story to an extent that impatient people would not pardon。 The
red tiles of the floor are full of depressions brought about by
scouring and periodical renewings of color。 In short； there is no
illusory grace left to the poverty that reigns here； it is dire；
parsimonious； concentrated； threadbare poverty； as yet it has not
sunk into the mire； it is only splashed by it； and though not in
rags as yet； its clothing is ready to drop to pieces。
This apartment is in all its glory at seven o'clock in the
morning； when Mme。 Vauquer's cat appears； announcing the near
approach of his mistress； and jumps upon the sideboards to sniff
at the milk in the bowls； each protected by a plate； while he
purrs his morning greeting to the world。 A moment later the widow
shows her face； she is tricked out in a net cap attached to a
false front set on awry； and shuffles into the room in her
slipshod fashion。 She is an oldish woman； with a bloated
countenance； and a nose like a parrot's beak set in the middle of
it； her fat little hands （she is as sleek as a church rat） and
her shapeless； slouching figure are in keeping with the room that
reeks of misfortune； where hope is reduced to speculate for the
meanest stakes。 Mme。 Vauquer alone