In about fifteen days the work on the cottage was nearly done and the
moving began, Celeste, and even Maggie, offering us their services. Alix
seemed enchanted.
"Two things, only, I lack," she said--"a sofa, and something to cover the
walls."
One morning M. Gerbeau sent to Carpentier a horse, two fine cows and their
calves, and a number of sheep and pigs. At the same time two or three
negresses, loaded down with chickens, geese, and ducks, made their
appearance. Also M. Gerbeau.
"What does all this mean?" asked Joseph.
"This is the succession of the dead Swede," replied the generous young
man.
"But I have no right to his succession."
"That's a question," responded M. Gerbeau. "You have inherited the house,
you must inherit all. If claimants appear--well, you will be responsible
to them. You will please give me a receipt in due form; that is all."
Tears came into Carpentier's eyes.... As he was signing the receipt M.
Gerbeau stopped him. "Wait; I forgot something. At the time of Karl's [the
Swede's] death, I took from his crib fifty barrels of corn; add that."
"O sir!" cried Joseph, "that is too much--too much."
"Write!" said M. Gerbeau, laying his hand on Joseph's shoulder, "if you
please. I am giving you nothing; I am relieving myself of a burden."
* * * * *
My dear daughter, if I have talked very much about Alix it is because
talking about her is such pleasure. She has been so good to my sister and
me! The memory of her is one of the brightest of my youth.
The flatboat was to go in three days. One morning, when we had passed the
night with Mme. Gerbeau, Patrick came running to say that "Madame 'Lix"
wished to see us at once. We hastened to the cottage. Alix met us on the
gallery [veranda].
"Come in, dear girls. I have a surprise for you and a great favor to ask.
I heard you say, Suzanne, you had nothing to wear--"
"But our camayeu petticoats!"
"But your camayeu petticoats." She smiled.
"And they, it seems, do not tempt your vanity. You want better?"
"Ah, indeed we do!" replied Suzanne.
"Well, let us play Cinderella. The dresses of velvet, silk, and lace, the
jewels, the slippers--all are in yonder chest. Listen, my dear girls. Upon
the first signs of the Revolution my frightened mother left France and
crossed into England. She took with her all her wardrobe, her jewels, the
pictures from her bedroom, and part of her plate. She bought, before
going, a quantity of silks and ribbons.... When I reached England my
mother was dead, and all that she had possessed was restored to me by the
authorities. My poor mother loved dress, and in that chest is all her
apparel. Part of it I had altered for my own use; but she was much larger
than I--taller than you. I can neither use them nor consent to sell them.
If each of you will accept a ball toilet, you will make me very happy."
And she looked at us with her eyes full of supplication, her hands
clasped.
We each snatched a hand and kissed it. Then she opened the chest, and for
the first and last time in my life I saw fabrics, ornaments, and coiffures
that truly seemed to have been made by the fairies. After many trials and
much debate she laid aside for me a lovely dress of blue brocade
glistening with large silver flowers the reflections of which seemed like
rays of light. It was short in front, with a train; was very full on the
sides, and was caught up with knots of ribbon. The long pointed waist was
cut square and trimmed with magnificent laces that re-appeared on the
half-long sleeves. The arms, to the elbow, were to be covered with white
frosted gloves fastened with twelve silver buttons. To complete my toilet
she gave me a blue silk fan beautifully painted, blue satin slippers with
high heels and silver buckles, white silk stockings with blue clocks, a
broidered white cambric handkerchief trimmed with Brussels point lace,
and, last, a lovely set of silver filigree that she assured us was of
slight value, comprising the necklace, the comb, the earrings, bracelets,
and a belt whose silver tassels of the same design fell down the front of
the dress.
My sister's toilet was exactly like mine, save that it was rose color.
Alix had us try them on. While our eyes were ravished, she, with more
expert taste, decided to take up a little in one place, lower a ribbon in
another, add something here, take away there, and, above all, to iron the
whole with care. We staid all day helping her; and when, about 3 o'clock,
all was finished, our fairy godmother said she would now dress our hair,
and that we must observe closely.
"For Suzanne will have to coiffe Françoise and Françoise coiffe Suzanne,"
she said. She took from the chest two pasteboard boxes that she said
contained the headdresses belonging to our costumes, and, making me sit
facing my sister, began to dress her hair. I was all eyes. I did not lose
a movement of the comb. She lifted Suzanne's hair to the middle of the
head in two rosettes that she called _riquettes_ and fastened them with a
silver comb. Next, she made in front, or rather on the forehead, with
hairpins, numberless little knots, or whorls, and placed on each side of
the head a plume of white, rose-tipped feathers, and in front, opposite
the riquettes, placed a rose surrounded with silver leaves. Long
rose-colored, silver-frosted ribbons falling far down on the back
completed the headdress, on which Alix dusted handfuls of silver powder.
Can you believe it, my daughter, that was the first time my sister and I
had ever seen artificial flowers? They made very few of them, even in
France, in those days.
While Suzanne admired herself in the mirror I took her place. My headdress
differed from hers in the ends of my feathers being blue, and in the rose
being white, surrounded by pale blue violets and a few silver leaves. And
now a temptation came to all of us. Alix spoke first:
"Now put on your ball-dresses and I will send for our friends. What do you
think?"
"Oh, that would be charming!" cried Suzanne. "Let us hurry!" And while we
dressed, Pat, always prowling about the cottage, was sent to the flatboat
to get his parents and the Carlos, and to M. Gerbeau's to ask my father
and M. and Mme. Gerbeau to come at once to the cottage.... No, I cannot
tell the cries of joy that greeted us. The children did not know us, and
Maggie had to tell Pat over and over that these were Miss Souzie and Miss
Francise. My father's eyes filled with tears as he thanked Alix for her
goodness and generosity to us.
Alas! the happiest days, like the saddest, have an end. On the morrow the
people in the flatboat came to say good-bye. Mario cried like a child.
Celeste carried Àlix's hands to her lips and said in the midst of her
tears:
"O Madame! I had got so used to you--I hoped never to leave you."
"I will come to see you, Celeste," replied Alix to the young mulattress,
"I promise you."
Maggie herself seemed moved, and in taking leave of Alix put two vigorous
kisses on her cheeks. As to our father, and us, too, the adieus were not
final, we having promised Mario and Gordon to stop [on their journey up
the shore of the bayou] as soon as we saw the flatboat.
"And we hope, my dear Carlo, to find you established in your
principality."
"Amen!" responded the Italian.
Alix added to her gifts two pairs of chamois-skin gloves and a box of
lovely artificial flowers. Two days after the flatboat had gone, we having
spent the night with Alix, came M. Gerbeau's carriage to take us once more
upon our journey. Ah! that was a terrible moment. Even Alix could scarce
hold back the tears. We refused to get into the carriage, and walked, all
of us together, to M. Gerbeau's, and then parted amid tears, kisses, and
promises.