autobiography of a pocket-handkerchief-第6部分

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The　groans　over　the　state　of　trade　were　loud　and　deep　among　those
who　lived　by　its　innocent　arts。　Still；　the　holidays　were　near；　and　hope
revived。　If　revolutionized　Paris　would　not　buy　as　the　jour　de　l'an
approached；　Paris　must　have　a　new　dynasty。　The　police　　foresaw　this；
and　it　ceased　to　agitate；　in　order　to　bring　the　republicans　into　discredit；
men　must　eat；　and　trade　was　permitted　to　revive　a　little。　Alas！　how　little
do　they　who　vote；　know　WHY　they　vote；　or　they　who　dye　their　hands
in　the　blood　of　their　kind；　why　the　deed　has　been　done！

｛jour　de　l'an　=　New　Years　Day｝

The　duchesse　had　not　returned　to　Paris；　neither　had　she　emigrated。　Like
most　of　the　high　nobility；　who　rightly　enough　believed　that　primogeniture
and　birth　were　of　the　last　importance　to　THEM；　she　preferred　to　show
her　distaste　for　the　present　order　of　things；　by　which　the　youngest　prince
of　a　numerous　family　had　been　put　upon　the　throne　of　the　oldest；　by
remaining　at　her　chateau。　All　expectations　of　selling　us　to　HER　were
abandoned；　and　we　were　thrown　fairly　into　the　market；　on　the　great
principle　of　liberty　and　equality。　This　was　as　became　a　republican　reign。

Our　prospects　were　varied　daily。　The　dauphine；　madame；　and　all　the　de
Rochefoucaulds；　de　la　Tremouilles；　de　Grammonts；　de　Rohans；　de
Crillons；　&c。　&c。；　were　out　of　the　question。　The　royal　family　were　in
England；　the　Orleans　branch　excepted；　and　the　high　nobility　were　very
generally　on　their　〃high　ropes；〃　or；　a　bouder。　As　for　the　bankers；　their
reign　had　not　yet　fairly　commenced。　Previously　to　July；　1830；　this
estimable　class　of　citizens　had　not　dared　to　indulge　their　native　tastes　for
extravagance　and　parade；　the　grave　dignity　and　high　breeding　of　a　very
ancient　but　impoverished　nobility　holding　them　in　some　restraint；　and；
then；　THEIR　fortunes　were　still　uncertain；　the　funds　were　not　firm；　and
even　the　honorable　and　worthy　Jacques　Lafitte；　a　man　to　ennoble　any
calling；　was　shaking　in　credit。　Had　we　been　brought　into　the　market　a
twelvemonth　later；　there　is　no　question　that　we　should　have　been　caught
up　within　a　week；　by　the　wife　or　daughter　of　some　of　the　operatives　at
the　Bourse。

｛de　Rochefoucaulds；　etc。　=　various　French　noble　families；　a　bouder　=
silent；　Jacques　Lafitte　=　French　financier　（1767…1844）　who　supported
the　1830　July　Revolution；　Bourse　=　stock　exchange｝

As　it　was；　however；　we　enjoyed　ample　leisure　for　observation　and
thought。　Again　and　again　were　we　shown　to　those　who；　it　was　thought；
could　not　fail　to　yield　to　our　beauty；　but　no　one　would　purchase。　All
appeared　to　eschew　aristocracy；　even　in　their　pocket…handkerchiefs。
The　day　the　fleurs　de　lys　were　cut　out　of　the　medallions　of　the　treasury；
and　the　king　laid　down　his　arms；　I　thought　our　mistress　would　have　had
the　hysterics　on　our　account。　Little　did　she　understand　human　nature；　for
the　nouveaux　riches；　who　are　as　certain　to　succeed　an　old　and
displaced　class　of　superiors；　as　hungry　flies　to　follow　flies　with　full
bellies；　would　have　been　much　more　apt　to　run　into　extravagance　and
folly；　than　persons　always　accustomed　to　money；　and　who　did　not
depend　on　its　exhibition　for　their　importance。　A　day　of　deliverance；
notwithstanding；　was　at　hand；　which　to　me　seemed　like　the　bridal　of　a
girl　dying　to　rush　into　the　dissipations　of　society。

｛fleurs　de　lys　=　symbol　of　the　Bourbon　monarchs｝



CHAPTER　V。

The　holidays　were　over；　without　there　being　any　material　revival　of
trade；　when　my　deliverance　unexpectedly　occurred。　It　was　in　February；
and　I　do　believe　our　mistress　had　abandoned　the　expectation　of
disposing　of　us　that　season；　when　I　heard　a　gentle　voice　speaking　near
the　counter；　one　day；　in　tones　which　struck　me　as　familiar。　It　was　a
female；　of　course；　and　her　inquiries　were　about　a　piece　of　cambric
handkerchiefs；　which　she　said　had　been　sent　to　this　shop　from　a
manufactory　in　Picardie。　There　was　nothing　of　the　customary　alertness
in　the　manner　of　our　mistress；　and；　to　my　surprise；　she　even　showed　the
customer　one　or　two　pieces　of　much　inferior　quality；　before　we　were
produced。　The　moment　I　got　into　the　light；　however；　I　recognized　the
beautifully　turned　form　and　sweet　face　of　Adrienne　de　la　Rocheaimard。
The　poor　girl　was　paler　and　thinner　than　when　I　had　last　seen　her；
doubtless；　I　thought；　the　effects　of　her　late　illness；　but　I　could　not
conceal　from　myself　the　unpleasant　fact　that　she　was　much　less
expensively　clad。　I　say　less　expensively　clad；　though　the　expression　is
scarcely　just；　for　I　had　never　seen　her　in　attire　that　could　properly　be
called　expensive　at　all；　and；　yet；　the　term　mean　would　be　equally
inapplicable　to　her　present　appearance。　It　might　be　better　to　say　that；
relieved　by　a　faultless；　even　a　fastidious　neatness　and　grace；　there　was
an　air　of　severe；　perhaps　of　pinched　economy　in　her　present　attire。　This
it　was　that　had　prevented　our　mistress　from　showing　her　fabrics　as　fine
as　we；　on　the　first　demand。　Still　I　thought　there　was　a　slight　flush　on　the
cheek　of　the　poor　girl；　and　a　faint　smile　on　her　features；　as　she　instantly
recognized　us　for　old　acquaintances。　For　one；　I　own　I　was　delighted　at
finding　her　soft　fingers　again　brushing　over　my　own　exquisite　surface；
feeling　as　if　one　had　been　expressly　designed　for　the　other。　Then
Adrienne　hesitated；　she　appeared　desirous　of　speaking；　and　yet
abashed。　Her　color　went　and　came；　until　a　deep　rosy　blush　settled　on
each　cheek；　and　her　tongue　found　utterance。

〃Would　it　suit　you；　madame；〃　she　asked；　as　if　dreading　a　repulse；　〃to
part　with　one　of　these？〃

〃Your　pardon；　mademoiselle；　handkerchiefs　of　this　quality　are　seldom
sold　singly。〃

〃I　feared　as　muchand　yet　I　have　occasion　for　only　ONE。　It　is　to　be
workedif　it〃

The　words　came　slowly；　and　they　were　spoken　with　difficulty。　At　that
last　uttered；　the　sound　of　the　sweet　girl's　voice　died　entirely　away。　I　fear
it　was　the　dullness　of　trade；　rather　than　any　considerations　of
benevolence；　that　induced　our　mistress　to　depart　from　her　rule。

〃The　price　of　each　handkerchief　is　five　and　twenty　francs；
mademoiselle〃　she　had　offered　the　day　before　to　sell　us　to　the　wife　of
one　of　the　richest　agents　de　change　in　Paris；　at　a　napoleon　a　piece〃the
price　is　five　and　twenty　francs；　if　you　take　the　dozen；　but　as　you　appear
to　wish　only　ONE；　rather　than　not　oblige　you；　it　may　be　had　for　eight
and　twenty。〃

｛agents　de　change　=　stockbrokers；　napoleon　=　gold　coin　worth　twenty
francs｝

There　was　a　strange　mixture　of　sorrow　and　delight　in　the　countenance　of
Adrienne；　but　she　did　not　hesitate；　and；　attracted　by　the　odor　of　the　eau
de　cologne；　she　instantly　pointed　me　out　as　the　handkerchief　she
selected。　Our　mistress　passed　her　scissors　between　me　and　my
neighbor　of　the　cote　gauche；　and　then　she　seemed　instantly　to　regret　her
own　precipitation。　Before　making　the　final　separation　from　the　piece；
she　delivered　herself　of　her　doubts。

〃It　is　worth　another　franc；　mademoiselle；〃　she　said；　〃to　cut　a
handkerchief　from　the　CENTRE　of　the　piece。〃

The　pain　of　Adrienne　was　now　too　manifest　for　concealment。　That　she
ardently　desired　the　handkerchief　was　beyond　dispute；　and　yet　there
existed　some　evident　obstacle　to　her　wishes。

〃I　fear　I　have　not　so　much　money　with　me；　madame〃　she　said；　pale　as
death；　for　all　sense　of　shame　was　lost　in　intense　apprehension。　Still　her
trembling　hands　did　their　duty；　and　her　purse　was　produced。　A　gold
napoleon　promised　well；　but　it　had　no　fellow。　Seven　more　francs
appeared　in　single　pieces。　Then　two　ten…sous　were　produced；　after
which　nothing　remained　but　copper。　The　purse　was　emptied；　and　the
reticule　rummaged；　the　whole　amounting　to　just　twenty…eight　francs
seven　sous。

｛sou　=　a　small　coin　（5　centimes）20　sous　equal　one　franc｝

〃I　have　no　more；　madame；〃　said　Adrienne；　in　a　faint　voice。

The　woman；　who　had　been　trained　in　the　school　of　suspicion；　looked
intently　at　the　other；　for　an　instant；　and　then　she　swept　the　money　into
her　drawer；　content　with　having　extorted　from　this　poor　girl　more　than
she　would　have　dared　to　ask　of　the　wife　of　the　agent　de　change。
Adrienne　took　me　up　and　glided　from　the　shop；　as　if　she　feared　her
dear　bought　prize　would　yet　be　torn　from　her。　I　confess　my　own　delight
was　so　great　that　I　did　not　fully　appreciate；　at　the　time；　all　the　hardship
of　the　case。　It　was　enough　to　be　liberated；　to　get　into　the　fresh　air；　to　be
about　to　fulfill　my　proper　destiny。　I　was　tired　of　that　sort　of　vegetation　in
which　I　neither　grew；　nor　was　watered　by　tears；　nor　could　I　see　those
stars　on　which　I　so　much　doated；　and　from　which　I　had　learned　a
wisdom　so　profound。　The　politics；　too；　were　rendering　our　family
unpleasant；　the　cote　droit　was　becoming　superciliousit　had　always
been　illogical；　while　the　cote　gauche　was　just　beginning　to　discover　that
it　had　made　a　revolution　for　other　people。　Then　it　was　happiness　itself　to
be　with　Adrienne；　and　when　I　felt　the　dear　girl　pressing　me　to　her　heart；
by　an　act　of　volition　of　which　pocket…handkerchiefs　are　little　suspected；
I　threw　up　a　fold　of　my　gossamer…like　texture；　as　if　the　air　wafted　me；
and　brushed　the　first　tear　of　happiness　from　her　eye　that　she　had　shed　in
months。

｛revolution　for　other　people　=　as　he　suggests　frequently　in　this　story；
Cooper　believed　that　the　promise　of　the　July　Revolution　was　betrayed；
and　that　the　new　government　of　King　Louis　Philippe　proved　little　better
than　the　old　reactionary　one　of　King　Charles　X；　in　this　he　shared　the
views　of　his　friend　the　Marquis　de　Lafayette；　the　hero　of　the　American
Revolution；　who　as　head　of　the　French　National　Guard　had　been　one　of
the　leaders　of　the　July　Revolution　in　Paris｝

The　reader　may　be　certain　that　my　imagination　was　all　alive　to
conjecture　the　circumstances　which　had　brought　Adrienne　de　la
Rocheaimard　to　Paris；　and　why　she　had　been　so　assiduous　in　searching
me　out；　in　particular。　Could　it　be　that　the　grateful　girl　still　intended　to
make　her　offering　to　the　Duchesse　de　d'Angouleme？　Ah！　nothat
princess　was　in　exile；　while　her　sister　was　forming　weak　plots　in　behalf
of　her　son；　which　a　double　treachery　was　about　to　defeat。　I　have
already　hinted　that　pocket…handkerchiefs　do　not　receive　and
communicate　ideas；　by　means　of　the　organs　in　use　among　human　beings