Sue_Mysteries_of_Paris.txt topic ['13', '324', '378', '393']
a large
nose, a wide mouth, and always a paper cap on his head,
and such a funny face, oh, so funny, you could not
look at him without laughing. he came home
after worlc, he did nothing but sing, and make faces, and
327
.
gambol like a child. used to dance me on his knees,
and play with me like a child of my own age ; and his
wife spoiled me, as if had been a blessing to her.
both required only one thing fi-om me, and that was to
be in a good humour ; and in that never thwarted
them, thank . they called me , ^ and
the name has stuck to me. to mirth, they set me the
example, for never saw them sorrowful. ever there
was a word, it was the wife who said to her husband,
* , you silly fellow, do be quiet, you make me laugh
too much.' he said to her, ' your foolish
tongue, ,' don't know why he called her
, ' do be still, you really make my sides ache,
you are so funny.' then laughed to see them
laugh, and in this way was brought up, and in this
way they formed my disposition ; and hope have
profited by it."
" assuredly you have, neighbour. there never
were any disputes between them ? "
" , oh, never ! , , and sometimes
on , they made holiday, or kept wedding-day, as
they called it, and always took me with them.
was an excellent workman, and, when he chose to
work, he could earn what he pleased, and so could his
wife, too. they had got enough to do for and
, and live on pretty comfortably, they were per-
fectly satisfied. , after this, they were on short allow-
ance for a time, they didn't mind it. remember, when
we had only bread and water, took from his
library "
" had a library, then ? "
" , he used to call a little box so, in which he put
his collection of new songs ; for he bought all the new
ones, and knew them every one. , then, there was
nothing but bread in the house, he used to take an old
cookery book from his library, and say to us, * , now,
1 verb rigoler is " to be merry." . .
328
.
let us see, what shall we eat to-day ? , or that ? '
then he used to read out a long list of good things.
of us chose a dish, and then took an
empty saucepan, and, with the funniest airs and gestures
in the world, pretended to put into the saucepan all the
ingredients requisite for making a capital stew ; and then
he used to pretend to pour it all out into a dish also
empty which he placed on the table, with still the same
drolleries, which almost split our sides. he took
up his book again, and, whilst he was reading to us, for
instance, the recipe of a good fricassee of chicken, which
we had chosen, and which made our mouths water, we
ate our bread, all laughing like so many mad people."
" , in this happy household, were there any debts
to trouble them ?"
" whatever. long as the money lasted, they
ate, drank, and made merry, and, when it was all gone,
they lived upon ' make believe,' as before."
" did they never think of the future ?"
" , yes, they thought of it, of course ; but what is
the future to such as we ? and future are like
and ; the one we spend gaily and happily
outside the barriers, the other is got over in the fau-
bourgs."
" why, since this couple seemed so well assorted,
did they never marry ? "
" friend of theirs once put that very question in my
presence."
'' , and what did they say ? "
'' ' ,' said they, ' if ever we have any children, it may
be all very well to marry, but as far as we are concerned,
we do very well as we are. why should we make
an obligation of that which we now perform willingly ? -
sides, getting married costs money, and we have none to
spare in unnecessary expenses.' , my goodness,"
added , " how am running on. , really,
when once begin to talk of these kind people, who were
329
.
so good to me, never know when to leave off. ,
neighbour, will you give me my shawl off the bed, and
put it nicely over my shoulders, then pin it underneath
the collar of my hi*,bit-shirt with this large pin, and then
we will set off, for it will take us some time to select the
different things you wish to buy for the poor ."
readily obeyed the directions of .
he took from the bed a large plaid shawl, which
he placed with all imaginable care on the well-formed
shoulders of .
" will do, neighbour. , lift up my collar,
and press the shawl and dress together; then stick in
the pin ; but pray try not to prick me with it."
prince executed the orders given with zealous
accuracy ; then observed, smilingly, to the grisette :
", . , should not like to be your
femme de chambre ; there is danger in it ! "
" , know," answered gaily ; " there is
great danger for me of having a pin run in by your
awkwardness. now," added she, after they had left
the room, and carefully locked the door after them,
" take my key ; it is so large, always expect it will
burst my pocket; it is as large as a pistol," and
here the light-hearted girl laughed merrily at her own
conceit.
accordingly " took charge " (that is the pre-
scribed form of speech) of an enormous key, which
might well have figured in one of those allegorical
devices in which the vanquished are represented as
humbly offering the keys of their lost cities to the
conquerors. believed himself too
much changed by y.ears to run any risk of being
recognised by , he still deemed it prudent to
draw up the collar of his paletot as he passed by
the door of the apartments belonging to the quack,
.
" ," said , " don't forget to tell .
aao
.
that you arc about to send in some things which
are to be carried at once up to your chamber."
" are right, my good friend ; let us step into the
porter's lodge for an instant."
. , with his everlasting bell-shaped hat on his
head, dressed, as usual, in the accustomed green coat,
and seated before a table covered with scraps of leather
and fragments of boots and shoes, was occupied in
fixing a new sole on a boot, his whole look and
manner impressed with the same deeply meditative air
which characterised his usual proceedings.
was just then absent from the lodge.
" , . ," said , " hope you will
be pleased to hear the good news. to my good
neighbour here, the poor have got out of trouble.
! when one thinks of that poor man being taken off
to prison oh, those bailiffs have no hearts ! "
" manners either, mademoiselle," rejoined .
, in an angry tone, wrathfully brandishing the
boot then in progress of repair, and into which he had
inserted his left hand and arm. " ! have no hesi-
tation in declaring, in the face of all mankind, that they
are a set of mannerless scoundrels. , taking advan-
tage of the darkness of our stairs, they actually carried
their indecent violence so far as to lay their audacious
fingers upon the waist of my wife. first heard
the cries of her insulted modesty, could not restrain
myself, and, spite of all efforts to restrain myself,
yielded to the natural , impetuosity of my disposition.
, will frankly confess, my first impulse was to
remain perfectly motionless."
" , suppose, afterwards," said , who had
much ado to preserve a serious air, " afterwards, .
, you pursued them, and bestowed the punishment
they so well deserved ? "
" ril tell you, mademoiselle," answered , delib-
erately ; " when these shameless ruffians passed before
331
.
my lodge, mj blood boiled, and could not prevent
myself from hastily covering my face, that might
not be shocked by the sight of these luxurious male-
factors ; but, after ^ards, ceased to be astonished ; for
well knew might expect some sight or sound to shock
my senses ; full well was prepared for some direful
misfortune ere the day had passed, for dreamed last
night of ."
smiled, while the heavy groans which broke
from the oppressed mind of the porter were mingled
with blows of his hammer, as he vigorously applied it to
the sole of the boot he was mending.
" wisely chose the wisest part, my dear .
, that of despising offences, and holding it
beneath you to revenge them ; but try to forget these
ill-conducted bailiffs, and oblige me by doing me a
great favour."
" is born to help his fellow man," drawled out
, in a melancholy and sententious tone ; " and he
is still further called upon so to do when a good and
worthy gentleman, moreover, a lodger in one's house, is
concerned."
" have to request of you is to carry up to
my apartments for me several things am about to send
in, and which are for the ."
" yourself easy upon that point, monsieur,'*
replied . " will faithfully perform your
wishes."
" afterwards," said , mournfully, " you
must obtain a priest to watch by a little girl the
have lost in the night. and give the requisite noti-
fication of the death, and bespeak a suitable funeral."
" your mind easy, monsieur," replied ,
more gravely even than before ; " directly my wife
returns, will go to the mayor, the church, and the
traiteurs : to the church, for the soul of the dead ; to
the traiteur^s, for the body of the living," added .
332
.
, philosophically and poetically. *' it
done in both cases ; my good sir, consider it done."
the entrance to the alley, and
encountered returning from market with a
huge basket of provisions.
^' 's right ! 's right '* cried the porteress,
looking at the pair with a knowing and significant air;
"there you go, arm in arm already. be sure, look
and love, love and look. people will be young
people, no doubt on't. and was just the
same. ' heard of a pretty girl without a
beau ? , go along, my dears, and make yourselves
happy while you can." , after gazing after them
some minutes, the old woman disappearf^d in the depths
of the alley, crying out, " , my old darling ! 't
worry yourself ; ''s coming to bring you something
nice, oh, so nice ! "