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！
Jacquelin； a man of forty； short； fat； ruddy； and brown； with a face
like a Breton sailor； had been in the service of the house for twenty…
two years。 He waited at table； groomed the mare； gardened； blacked the
abbe's boots； went on errands； chopped the wood； drove the carriole；
and fetched the oats； straw； and hay from Prebaudet。 He sat in the
antechamber during the evening； where he slept like a dormouse。 He was
in love with Josette； a girl of thirty； whom Mademoiselle would have
dismissed had she married him。 So the poor fond pair laid by their
wages； and loved each other silently； waiting； hoping for
mademoiselle's own marriage； as the Jews are waiting for the Messiah。
Josette； born between Alencon and Mortagne； was short and plump； her
face； which looked like a dirty apricot； was not wanting in sense and
character； it was said that she ruled her mistress。 Josette and
Jacquelin； sure of results； endeavored to hide an inward satisfaction
which allows it to be supposed that； as lovers； they had discounted
the future。 Mariette； the cook； who had been fifteen years in the
household； knew how to make all the dishes held in most honor in
Alencon。
Perhaps we ought to count for much the fat old Norman brown…bay mare；
which drew Mademoiselle Cormon to her country…seat at Prebaudet； for
the five inhabitants of the house bore to this animal a maniacal
affection。 She was called Penelope； and had served the family for
eighteen years； but she was kept so carefully and fed with such
regularity that mademoiselle and Jacquelin both hoped to use her for
ten years longer。 This beast was the subject of perpetual talk and
occupation； it seemed as if poor Mademoiselle Cormon； having no
children on whom her repressed motherly feelings could expend
themselves； had turned those sentiments wholly on this most fortunate
animal。
The four faithful servantsfor Penelope's intelligence raised her to
the level of the other good servants； while they； on the other hand；
had lowered themselves to the mute； submissive regularity of the beast
went and came daily in the same occupations with the infallible
accuracy of mechanism。 But； as they said in their idiom； they had
eaten their white bread first。 Mademoiselle Cormon； like all persons
nervously agitated by a fixed idea； became hard to please； and
nagging； less by nature than from the need of employing her activity。
Having no husband or children to occupy her； she fell back on petty
details。 She talked for hours about mere nothings； on a dozen napkins
marked 〃Z；〃 placed in the closet before the 〃O's。〃
〃What can Josette be thinking of？〃 she exclaimed。 〃Josette is
beginning to neglect things。〃
Mademoiselle inquired for eight days running whether Penelope had had
her oats at two o'clock； because on one occasion Jacquelin was a
trifle late。 Her narrow imagination spent itself on trifles。 A layer
of dust forgotten by the feather…duster； a slice of toast ill…made by
Mariette； Josette's delay in closing the blinds when the sun came
round to fade the colors of the furniture；all these great little
things gave rise to serious quarrels in which mademoiselle grew angry。
〃Everything was changing；〃 she would cry； 〃she did not know her own
servants； the fact was she spoiled them！〃 On one occasion Josette gave
her the 〃Journee du Chretien〃 instead of the 〃Quinzaine de Paques。〃
The whole town heard of this disaster the same evening。 Mademoiselle
had been forced to leave the church and return home； and her sudden
departure； upsetting the chairs； made people suppose a catastrophe had
happened。 She was therefore obliged to explain the facts to her
friends。
〃Josette；〃 she said gently； 〃such a thing must never happen again。〃
Mademoiselle Cormon was； without being aware of it； made happier by
such little quarrels； which served as cathartics to relieve her
bitterness。 The soul has its needs； and； like the body； its
gymnastics。 These uncertainties of temper were accepted by Josette and
Jacquelin as changes in the weather are accepted by husbandmen。 Those
worthy souls remark； 〃It is fine to…day；〃 or 〃It rains；〃 without
arraigning the heavens。 And so when they met in the morning the
servants would wonder in what humor mademoiselle would get up； just as
a farmer wonders about the mists at dawn。
Mademoiselle Cormon had ended； as it was natural she should end； in
contemplating herself only in the infinite pettinesses of her life。
Herself and God； her confessor and the weekly wash； her preserves and
the church services； and her uncle to care for； absorbed her feeble
intellect。 To her the atoms of life were magnified by an optic
peculiar to persons who are selfish by nature or self…absorbed by some
accident。 Her perfect health gave alarming meaning to the least little
derangement of her digestive organs。 She lived under the iron rod of
the medical science of our forefathers； and took yearly four
precautionary doses； strong enough to have killed Penelope； though
they seemed to rejuvenate her mistress。 If Josette； when dressing her；
chanced to discover a little pimple on the still satiny shoulders of
mademoiselle； it became the subject of endless inquiries as to the
various alimentary articles of the preceding week。 And what a triumph
when Josette reminded her mistress of a certain hare that was rather
〃high；〃 and had doubtless raised that accursed pimple！ With what joy
they said to each other： 〃No doubt； no doubt； it WAS the hare！〃
〃Mariette over…seasoned it；〃 said mademoiselle。 〃I am always telling
her to do so lightly for my uncle and for me； but Mariette has no more
memory than〃
〃The hare；〃 said Josette。
〃Just so；〃 replied Mademoiselle； 〃she has no more memory than a hare；
a very just remark。〃
Four times a year； at the beginning of each season； Mademoiselle
Cormon went to pass a certain number of days on her estate of
Prebaudet。 It was now the middle of May； the period at which she
wished to see how her apple…trees had 〃snowed；〃 a saying of that
region which expressed the effect produced beneath the trees by the
falling of their blossoms。 When the circular deposit of these fallen
petals resembled a layer of snow the owner of the trees might hope for
an abundant supply of cider。 While she thus gauged her vats；
Mademoiselle Cormon also attended to the repairs which the winter
necessitated； she ordered the digging of her flower…beds and her
vegetable garden； from which she supplied her table。 Every season had
its own business。 Mademoiselle always gave a dinner of farewell to her
intimate friends the day before her departure； although she was
certain to see them again within three weeks。 It was always a piece of
news which echoed through Alencon when Mademoiselle Cormon departed。
All her visitors； especially those who had missed a visit； came to bid
her good…bye； the salon was thronged； and every one said farewell as
though she were starting for Calcutta。 The next day the shopkeepe