THE EXAMINATION.
At last Jeanne said, “Where is this carriage taking me to, cardinal?”
“Back to your own house, countess.”
“My house—in the faubourg?”
“Yes, countess. A very small house to contain so many charms.”
They soon stopped. Jeanne alighted, and he was preparing to follow her,
but she stopped him, and said, “It is very late, cardinal.”
“Adieu, then,” said he; and he drove away, absorbed with the scene at
the ball.
Jeanne entered alone into her new house. Six lackeys waited for her in
the hall, and she looked at them as calmly as though she had been used
to it all her life.
“Where are my femmes de chambre?” said she.
One of the men advanced respectfully.
“Two women wait for madame in her room.”
“Call them.” The valet obeyed.
“Where do you usually sleep?” said Jeanne to them, when they entered.
“We have no place as yet,” said one of them; “we can sleep wherever
madame pleases.”
“Where are the keys?”
“Here, madame.”
“Well, for this night you shall sleep out of the house.”
The women looked at her in surprise.
“You have some place to go to?” said Jeanne.
“Certainly, madame; but it is late. Still, if madame wishes——”
“And these men can accompany you,” she continued, dismissing the valets
also, who seemed rather pleased.
“When shall we return?” asked one of them.
“To-morrow at noon.”
They seemed more astonished than ever, but Jeanne looked so imperious
that they did not speak.
“Is there any one else here?” she asked.
“No one, madame. It is impossible for madame to remain like this;
surely you must have some one here.”
“I want no one.”
“The house might take fire; madame might be ill.”
“Go, all of you,” said Jeanne; “and take this,” added she, giving them
money from her purse.
They all thanked her, and disappeared, saying to each other that they
had found a strange mistress.
Jeanne then locked the doors and said triumphantly, “Now I am alone
here, in my own house.” She now commenced an examination, admiring each
thing individually. The ground-floor contained a bath-room,
dining-room, three drawing-rooms, and two morning-rooms. The furniture
of these rooms was handsome, though not new. It pleased Jeanne better
than if it had been furnished expressly for her. All the rich antiques
disdained by fashionable ladies, the marvelous pieces of carved ebony,
the glass lusters, the gothic clocks; chefs-d’œuvre of carving and
enamel, the screens with embroidered Chinese figures, and the immense
vases, threw Jeanne into indescribable raptures. Here on a
chimney-piece two gilded tritons were bearing branches of coral, upon
which were hung jeweled fruits. In another place, on a gilded console
table, was an enormous elephant, with sapphires hanging from his ears,
supporting a tower filled with little bottles of scent. Books in gilt
bindings were on rosewood shelves. One room was hung with Gobelin
tapestry, and furnished in gray and gold; another, paneled in paintings
by Vernet. The small rooms contained pictures. The whole was evidently
the collection of years.
Jeanne examined it all with delight. Then, as her domino was
inconvenient, she went into her room to put on a dressing-gown of
wadded silk; and, secure of meeting no one, she wandered from room to
room, continuing her examination, till at last, her light nearly
exhausted, she returned to her bedroom, which was hung with embroidered
blue satin.
She had seen everything, and admired everything: there only remained
herself to be admired; and she thought, as she undressed before the
long mirror, that she was not the object least worthy of admiration in
the place. At last, wearied out with pleasurable excitement, she went
to bed, and soon sank to sleep.