autobiography of a pocket-handkerchief-第7部分

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communicate　ideas；　by　means　of　the　organs　in　use　among　human　beings。
They　possess　a　clairvoyance　that　is　always　available　under　favorable
circumstances。　In　their　case　the　mesmeritic　trance　may　be　said　to　be
ever　in　existence；　while　in　the　performance　of　their　proper　functions。　It　is
only　while　crowded　into　bales；　or　thrust　into　drawers　for　the　vulgar
purposes　of　trade；　that　this　instinct　is　dormant；　a　beneficent　nature
scorning　to　exercise　her　benevolence　for　any　but　legitimate　objects。　I
now　mean　legitimacy　as　connected　with　cause　and　effect；　and　nothing
political　or　dynastic。

｛Duchesse　d'Angouleme　=　Marie　Therese　Charlotte；　the　Dauphine；
Adrienne's　patron；　her　sister　=　her　sister…in…law　Marie　Caroline；
Duchesse　de　Berry；　who　led　an　unsuccessful　revolt　against　the　new
regime｝

By　virtue　of　this　power；　I　had　not　long　been　held　in　the　soft　hand　of
Adrienne；　or　pressed　against　her　beating　heart；　without　becoming　the
master　of　all　her　thoughts；　as　well　as　her　various　causes　of　hope　and
fear。　This　knowledge　did　not　burst　upon　me　at　once；　it　is　true；　as　is
pretended　to　be　the　case　with　certain　somnambules；　for　with　me　there　is
no　empiricismevery　thing　proceeds　from　cause　to　effect；　and　a　little
time；　with　some　progressive　steps；　was　necessary　to　make　me　fully
acquainted　with　the　whole。　The　simplest　things　became　the　first
apparent；　and　others　followed　by　a　species　of　magnetic　induction；　which
I　cannot　now　stop　to　explain。　When　this　tale　is　told；　I　propose　to　lecture
on　the　subject；　to　which　all　the　editors　in　the　country　will　receive　the
usual　free　tickets；　when　the　world　cannot　fail　of　knowing　quite　as　much；
at　least；　as　these　meritorious　public　servants。

｛somnambules　=　sleep　walkers；　editors　=　Cooper　had　very　little　respect
for　the　press｝

The　first　fact　that　I　learned；　was　the　very　important　one　that　the
vicomtesse　had　lost　all　her　usual　means　of　support　by　the　late　revolution；
and　the　consequent　exile　of　the　dauphine。　This　blow；　so　terrible　to　the
grandmother　and　her　dependent　child；　had　occurred；　too；　most
inopportunely；　as　to　time。　A　half　year's　pension　was　nearly　due　at　the
moment　the　great　change　occurred；　and　the　day　of　payment　arrived　and
passed；　leaving　these　two　females　literally　without　twenty　francs。　Had　it
not　been　for　the　remains　of　the　trousseau；　both　must　have　begged；　or
perished　of　want。　The　crisis　called　for　decision；　and　fortunately　the　old
lady；　who　had　already　witnessed　so　many　vicissitudes；　had　still　sufficient
energy　to　direct　their　proceedings。　Paris　was　the　　best　place　in　which　to
dispose　of　her　effects；　and　thither　she　and　Adrienne　came；　without　a
moment's　delay。　The　shops　were　first　tried；　but　the　shops；　in　the　autumn
of　1830；　offered　indifferent　resources　for　the　seller。　Valuable　effects
were　there　daily　sold　for　a　twentieth　part　of　their　original　cost；　and　the
vicomtesse　saw　her　little　stores　diminish　daily；　for　the　Mont　de　Piete
was　obliged　to　regulate　its　own　proceedings　by　the　received　current
values　of　the　day。　Old　age；　vexation；　and　this　last　most　cruel　blow；　did
not　fail　of　effecting　that　which　might　have　been　foreseen。　The　vicomtesse
sunk　under　this　accumulation　of　misfortunes；　and　became　bed…ridden；
helpless；　and　querulous。　Every　thing　now　devolved　on　the　timid；　gentle；
unpracticed　Adrienne。　All　females　of　her　condition；　in　countries
advanced　in　civilization　like　France；　look　to　the　resource　of　imparting　a
portion　of　what　they　themselves　have　acquired；　to　others　of　their　own
sex；　in　moments　of　urgent　necessity。　The　possibility　of　Adrienne's　being
compelled　to　become　a　governess；　or　a　companion；　had　long　been　kept
in　view；　but　the　situation　of　Mad。　de　la　Rocheaimard　forbade　any
attempt　of　the　sort；　for　the　moment；　had　the　state　of　the　country
rendered　it　at　all　probable　that　a　situation　could　have　been　procured。
On　this　fearful　exigency；　Adrienne　had　aroused　all　her　energies；　and
gone　deliberately　into　the　consideration　of　her　circumstances。

｛Mont　de　Piete　=　traditional　term　for　a　municipal　pawn　shop　operated
to　help　the　poor｝

Poverty　had　compelled　Mad。　de　la　Rocheaimard　to　seek　the　cheapest
respectable　lodgings　she　could　find　on　reaching　town。　In　anticipation　of
a　long　residence；　and；　for　the　consideration　of　a　considerable　abatement
in　price；　she　had　fortunately　paid　six　months'　rent　in　advance；　thus
removing　from　Adrienne　the　apprehension　of　having　no　place　in　which
to　cover　her　head；　for　some　time　to　come。　These　lodgings　were　in　an
entresol　of　the　Place　Royale；　a　perfectly　reputable　and　private　part　of
the　town；　and　in　many　respects　were　highly　eligible。　Many　of　the　menial
offices；　too；　were　to　be　performed　by　the　wife　of　the　porter；　according
to　the　bargain；　leaving　to　poor　Adrienne；　however；　all　the　care　of　her
grandmother；　whose　room　she　seldom　quitted；　the　duties　of　nurse　and
cook；　and　the　still　more　important　task　of　finding　the　means　of
subsistence。

｛entresol　=　mezzanine；　low…ceilinged　area　between　between　the　first
and　second　floors｝

For　quite　a　month　the　poor　desolate　girl　contrived　to　provide　for　her
grandmother's　necessities；　by　disposing　of　the　different　articles　of　the
trousseau。　This　store　was　now　nearly　exhausted；　and　she　had　found　a
milliner　who　gave　her　a　miserable　pittance　for　toiling　with　her　needle
eight　or　ten　hours　each　day。　Adrienne　had　not　lost　a　moment；　but　had
begun　this　system　of　ill…requited　industry　long　before　her　money　was
exhausted。　She　foresaw　that　her　grandmother　must　die；　and　the　great
object　of　her　present　existence　was　to　provide　for　the　few　remaining
wants　of　this　only　relative　during　the　brief　time　she　had　yet　to　live；　and　to
give　her　decent　and　Christian　burial。　Of　her　own　future　lot；　the　poor　girl
thought　as　little　as　possible；　though　fearful　glimpses　would　obtrude
themselves　on　her　uneasy　imagination。　At　first　she　had　employed　a
physician；　but　her　means　could　not　pay　for　his　visits；　nor　did　the
situation　of　her　grandmother　render　them　very　necessary。　He　promised
to　call　occasionally　without　fee；　and；　for　a　short　time；　he　kept　his　word；
but　his　benevolence　soon　wearied　of　performing　offices　that　really　were
not　required。　By　the　end　of　a　month；　Adrienne　saw　him　no　more。

As　long　as　her　daily　toil　seemed　to　supply　her　own　little　wants；　Adrienne
was　content　to　watch　on；　weep　on；　pray　on；　in　waiting　for　the　moment
she　so　much　dreaded；　that　which　was　to　sever　the　last　tie　she　appeared
to　possess　on　earth。　It　is　true　she　had　a　few　very　distant　relatives；　but
they　had　emigrated　to　America；　at　the　commencement　of　the　revolution
of　1789；　and　all　trace　of　them　had　long　been　lost。　In　point　of　fact；　the
men　were　dead；　and　the　females　were　grandmothers　with　English
names；　and　were　almost　ignorant　of　any　such　persons　as　the　de　la
Rocheaimards。　From　these　Adrienne　had　nothing　to　expect。　To　her；
they　were　as　beings　in　another　planet。　But　the　trousseau　was　nearly
exhausted；　and　the　stock　of　ready　money　was　reduced　to　a　　single
napoleon；　and　a　little　change。　It　was　absolutely　necessary　to　decide　on
some　new　scheme　for　a　temporary　subsistence；　and　that　without　delay。

Among　the　valuables　of　the　trousseau　was　a　piece　of　exquisite　lace；　that
had　never　been　even　worn。　The　vicomtesse　had　a　pride　in　looking　at　it；
for　it　showed　the　traces　of　her　former　wealth　and　magnificence；　and　she
would　never　consent　to　part　with　it。　Adrienne　had　carried　it　once　to　her
employer；　the　milliner；　with　the　intention　of　disposing　of　it；　but　the　price
offered　was　so　greatly　below　what　she　knew　to　be　the　true　value；　that
she　would　not　sell　it。　Her　own　wardrobe；　however；　was　going　fast；
nothing　disposable　remained　of　her　grandmother's；　and　this　piece　of　lace
must　be　turned　to　account　in　some　way。　While　reflecting　on　these　dire
necessities；　Adrienne　remembered　our　family。　She　knew　to　what　shop
we　had　been　sent　in　Paris；　and　she　now　determined　to　purchase　one　of
us；　to　bestow　on　the　handkerchief　selected　some　of　her　own　beautiful
needle　work；　to　trim　it　with　this　lace；　and；　by　the　sale；　to　raise　a　sum
sufficient　for　all　her　grandmother's　earthly　wants。

Generous　souls　are　usually　ardent。　Their　hopes　keep　pace　with　their
wishes；　and；　as　Adrienne　had　heard　that　twenty　napoleons　were
sometimes　paid　by　the　wealthy　for　a　single　pocket…handkerchief；　when
thus　decorated；　she　saw　a　little　treasure　in　reserve；　before　her　mind's
eye。

〃I　can　do　the　work　in　two　months；〃　she　said　to　herself；　〃by　taking　the
time　I　have　used　for　exercise；　and　by　severe　economy；　by　eating　less
myself；　and　working　harder；　we　can　make　out　to　live　that　time　on　what
we　have。〃

This　was　the　secret　of　my　purchase；　and　the　true　reason　why　this　lovely
girl　had　literally　expended　her　last　sou　in　making　it。　The　cost　had
materially　exceeded　her　expectations；　and　she　could　not　return　home
without　disposing　of　some　article　she　had　in　her　reticule；　to　supply　the
vacuum　left　in　her　purse。　There　would　be　nothing　ready　for　the　milliner；
under　two　or　three　days；　and　there　was　little　in　the　lodgings　to　meet　the
necessities　of　her　grandmother。　Adrienne　had　taken　her　way　along　the
quays；　delighted　with　her　acquisition；　and　was　far　from　the　Mont　de
Piete　before　this　indispensable　duty　occurred　to　her　mind。　She　then
began　to　look　about　her　for　a　shop　in　which　she　might　dispose　of
something　for　the　moment。　Luckily　she　was　the　mistress　of　a　gold
thimble；　that　had　been　presented　to　her　by　her　grandmother；　as　her　very
last　birth…day　present。　It　was　painful　for　her　to　part　with　it；　but；　as　it　was
to　supply　the　wants　of　that　very　parent；　the　sacrifice　cost　her　less　than
might　otherwise　have　been　the　case。　Its　price　had　been　a　napoleon；　and
a　napoleon；　just　then；　was　a　mint　of　money　in　her　eyes。　Besides；　she
had　a　silver　thimble　at　home；　and　a　brass　one　would　do　for　her　work。

Adrienne's　necessities　had　made　her　acquainted　with　several　jewellers'
shops。　To　one　of　these　she　now　proceeded；　and；　first　observing　through
the　window　that　no　person　was　in　but　one　of　her　own　sex；　the
silversmith's　wife；　she　entered　with　the　greater　confidence　and　alacrity。

〃Madame；〃　she　said；　in　timid　tones；　for　want　had　not　yet　made　Adrienne
bold　or　coarse；　〃I　have　a　thimble　to　dispose　ofcould　you　be　induced
to　buy　it？〃

The