I arrived in due time at the country estate where my sister ordinarily
passed the whole year. From a distance I saw that the window shutters
were closed. Could they be travelling? She surely would have written me.
I rang the bell at the gateway; the gardener admitted me and informed me
that Monsieur and Madame Déneterre had gone to Melun for the winter, and
that they came into the country on fine Sundays only. As the city was
only two or three miles distant, I set out on foot. It was beginning to
be dark, but there was a moon. On the way, I tried to imagine what had
induced my dear relations to change their mode of life. They used never
to leave their country house; but they had been married a number of
years, and they probably were beginning to find that they had not so
much to say to each other. Then the winter evenings seemed long to them,
I supposed, so it occurred to them to try passing them in town. That is
the way such fine plans for the future always end! Is there anything on
earth that is beyond the reach of the effects of time?
I came in sight of the first houses of Melun, a pretty little town,
where I used to enjoy myself immensely in the old days; I should surely
find it delightful, now that Paris was unendurable to me. This much was
certain, that change of scene necessarily causes distraction, and
distraction is the very best remedy for pains of the heart and mind.
Besides, I was no Werther; I had no inclination to nourish my love and
my sorrow in dense forests, or on the brink of a precipice. On the
contrary, I was trying to cure myself; that is the most sensible course;
less romantic, it is true, but more in accordance with nature; and I am
all for the natural.
I inquired my sister's address. I walked through a part of the town,
which would be its Faubourg Saint-Germain, and I soon found the
Déneterre mansion. In the provinces a family generally occupies a whole
house, whereas in Paris three families often live on the same floor. I
confess that it is pleasanter to be alone in your house, to be able to
do whatever you choose without fear of annoying your neighbors, to be
spared the necessity of meeting repulsive faces, insolent servants, and
snarling children on the stairs, to find no marks of a dog or cat on
your doormat, when for cleanliness' sake you keep no animals yourself;
and lastly, to be able to dismiss your concierge when he is
disrespectful, whereas in Paris you must bribe him, no matter how
insolent he may be, at the risk of passing the night in the street or at
the police station, because, in the company of your friends, you have
forgotten to keep watch of the time. These are some notable advantages
of the provinces over the capital.
My sister uttered a cry of surprise and delight when she saw me; she
threw her arms round my neck and kissed me.
"Is it really you, dear Eugène?" she said. "In truth, I didn't expect to
see you before next spring. Ah! it's very sweet of you to remember your
best friends at last."
I did not tell her that nothing but the desire to avoid Nicette had
driven me from Paris; there was no need of that; besides, I preferred to
be spared the comments of my dear Amélie, who was something of a gossip,
which one is sure to be when one lives in the provinces, where there is
not enough to do to keep people from meddling with their neighbors'
affairs.
My sister sent for her husband, who had gone to play billiards with some
friends.
"So he no longer passes all his evenings at home?" I asked Amélie.
"Oh! my dear, the evenings are very long in winter, and one must do
something. In the provinces, gambling is the general rule; one must
needs conform to it and do as others do."
"That is true; it is what I have always thought, and what I told you at
the time of your marriage, when you were laying out a scheme of life
which resembled nothing ever heard of. You told me that I was a
heedless, foolish fellow, because I laughed at your plans of seclusion,
and of the happiness you were to enjoy in solitude; and now you have
abandoned that solitude!"
"Oh! only for the winter; for in winter the country is very dismal; you
see nobody, you can't walk or drive. Everybody flocks to the town, where
they give receptions, play cards, dance sometimes--in short, enjoy
themselves. That's why we came. What would you have? we must do as
others do."
"Why, it seems perfectly natural to me. At all events, you are happy,
aren't you?"
"Yes, my dear, very happy! My husband is the best of men; a little
obstinate, to be sure, and not always willing to listen to me when I
prove to him that I am right. The result is that we dispute sometimes;
but that's nothing!"
"Oh, no! besides, we must do as others do, must we not?"
"You haven't kissed my children yet, my two little boys; they are
charming little fellows, perfect demons! But bright! you may judge for
yourself."
"Where are they?"
"They're in bed; it's nearly eight o'clock."
"We mustn't wake them."
"No; you shall see them to-morrow. It's more than a year since you came
to see us--fifteen months at least! They have grown tremendously in that
time! The older one is four now, and the younger three. You can tell us
whom they look like."
Déneterre's appearance interrupted our conversation. My brother-in-law
manifested great pleasure at my arrival; he embraced me with sincere
cordiality, urged me to pass the winter with them at Melun, and I saw in
his eyes that his heart agreed with his lips; I noticed simply that when
he came in he had in his hands a billiard cue, which he stood in a
corner. We talked business and the news of Paris for a moment. Déneterre
was in good spirits; his cotton mill was prosperous, his business was in
excellent shape, he hoped to be able to retire and live on his income in
a few years.
While we were talking, Amélie went in and out, gave orders, had a room
made ready for me, invited me to take something before supper.
"I never take supper," I said.
"You must do it here, my dear; it's one of the customs of the province,
and it's not disagreeable, I assure you."
"All right; I'll take supper when I am hungry."
"Speaking of eating," said Déneterre, "where are the children? Why don't
they come to kiss their uncle?"
"They're in bed, my dear," said Amélie.
"In bed, already! why, that's ridiculous! You put them to bed too
early."
"Their health requires it."
"Boys don't need to sleep so much."
"Boys who run about and play all day must need rest when night comes."
"No matter; I want them to come to kiss their uncle."
"They can do it just as well to-morrow morning."
"To-morrow! to-morrow! that won't be the same thing at all. I'm going to
get them."
"What! wake them up! upon my word! I would like to see you--just to make
them sick."
"You're the one who makes them sick, making them sleep like dormice."
"At this rate, I shan't have anything to say about my own children."
"They are boys; it's my place to train them."
"You don't understand anything about it; besides, it isn't my fault that
they're not girls."
As I saw that the discussion was becoming warm, I made haste to change
the subject by taking the billiard cue and handing it to Déneterre.
"Is this cue yours?"
"Yes; it's a prize cue that I won at pool not long ago."
"Ah! so you play pool, do you?"
"Every night; I am a very good hand at it."
"Very well; go and finish your game. No ceremony between us, you know.
Besides, I am tired and am going to bed."
"Until to-morrow, then," said Déneterre, taking his prize cue eagerly;
"you must join us to-morrow, and you will see what progress I've made
since last year, especially since I have been using a patent cue."
Déneterre left us, and Amélie took me to my room, showing me on the way
a large part of the house, and telling me in detail all that she had
lately had done to it, and the further improvements that she had in
view. I noticed in my sister's conversation something of the tone of the
old gentleman with whom I had dined at Madame de Marsan's country house,
and who dilated so complacently on the details of his barnyard and
hencoop. But I began to understand that the story of the birth of a
chicken and the education of a rabbit might be of great interest to
people who had nothing else to do.
In the course of our conversation, I asked my sister if she often had
disputes with her husband.
"Disputes!" she exclaimed, with a surprised look; "why, we never have
any."
"I thought that just now----"
"Oh! you call that a dispute! why, my dear boy, that was nothing at all;
we have a hundred little arguments like that during the day; but they're
not disputes! You see, when two people live together, it's very hard to
be always of the same opinion."
"I should think that it would be more agreeable."
"But it's impossible! Ah! my dear Eugène, anyone can see that you're a
bachelor! you know nothing at all about married life; but before long I
hope that you will know all the joys of marriage, of which you have no
conception now."
"No; I agree that I have no conception of them."
"Patience, it will come in time. Good-night, dear Eugène; until
to-morrow!"
My sister left me, and I went to bed reflecting on the manner of life of
which Amélie and her husband had just given me a specimen; and yet it
was a delightful household, so everybody said. This much was
certain--that my sister was virtuous, and true to her husband, and that
Déneterre was very fond of his wife and children. Why, then, those
frequent disputes?--I saw that my sister was right: I had undertaken to
argue about conjugal happiness, and I did not know what it was. I
concluded that the best thing I could do was to go to sleep.
The journey had tired me, but the sight of my sister and her husband had
diverted my thoughts from my grief, for all troubles yield at last to
time and to distraction. I fell asleep in a more tranquil frame of mind
than I had known for a long while; and I should doubtless have slept
well into the forenoon, if my dear nephews had not taken it upon
themselves to wake me. At seven o'clock I heard a great noise in my
room; I felt somebody pulling my leg and my arm; I opened my eyes and
saw my sister's two children, who had climbed on my bed and were amusing
themselves by playing tricks and tumbling all over me. While I, still
half asleep, gazed vacantly at them, I heard a roar of laughter behind
me; I drew the curtain aside and discovered Déneterre seated a few feet
from the bed and laughing at my surprise.
"Well!" he said; "here they are; what do you think of them?"
"Why, they are in excellent condition, so far as I can see."
"Aren't they fine boys?"
"Yes, indeed."
"Ah! I'll make hearty little chaps of them, I tell you! They're such
merry, lively rascals!"
"So I see; just tell them not to pinch me so hard. Here's one of them
who won't let go my calf."
"It's only play, my dear fellow. They wake me like this every morning.
Tell me, is there any greater pleasure?"
"Yes, to a father, it must be perfectly charming; but to an uncle, you
see, it hasn't quite the same fascination."
"Parbleu! it rests entirely with you to become acquainted with that
pleasure; marry, and have children; they'll caress you as these little
fellows caress me."
"Oh! I shall do it some day, no doubt."
"Come, my hearties, kiss your uncle and let him dress."
To prove their affection, the "hearties" threw themselves on my stomach,
seized my head, and, while kissing me, rubbed their faces clean and
wiped their noses on my cheeks and nose; they tried to see which would
kiss me the more. I was suffocating, I cried for mercy; their papa was
forced to order them to desist, but they listened to him no more than to
me, and kept on as before. Luckily, my sister arrived and the scene
changed.
"What!" she exclaimed, striding angrily toward her husband; "you brought
the children to their uncle before I had washed and dressed them and
combed their hair?"
"Well! what of that, my dear love? must they be in their Sunday best to
bid their uncle good-morning?"
"It isn't a question of Sunday best; but I should have liked Eugène to
see them first when they were decently clean; and when they have once
begun to play, it isn't possible to keep them looking decent. But you do
everything without consulting me!"
"I assure you, my dear sister, that I consider them very nice as they
are."
"Come, young gentlemen, breakfast is waiting."
The word _breakfast_ caused my little rascals to decamp at once; they
were soon off my bed, and I was able to rise.
It seemed to me that examples of wedded bliss succeeded each other
rather swiftly under my sister's roof. But I was inclined to think that,
if I should marry, I should not take them as patterns in the matter of
bringing up children. But I had arrived only the night before, and it
was fair to wait before forming a final judgment.
I went downstairs and joined the family in the dining room. While we
breakfasted, Amélie and her husband described their daily life to me. In
the morning, business, housekeeping, and a walk when they had any time
to themselves; in the evening, Déneterre went to the café to play pool,
while his wife dressed to go out. Every evening in the week was taken:
Monday, at the notary's, a small and select party. The most notable of
the townspeople met there. There was little card playing, but much
political discussion, and one could learn there the news of all the
cabinets in Europe; the interests of each of the powers were discussed,
and the _Moniteur_ was read aloud. Tuesdays, at the house of a retired
merchant; he was a rich man and entertained handsomely: beer, cake, and
sweetened water flavored with orange. The play was for very high stakes:
boston for six _blancs_, and écarté for five sous; the bets sometimes
went as high as seventy-five centimes! But all games were played there;
whist and boston with great skill. No one called for six tricks unless
he had eight, or stood unless he held an _indépendance_; so that it was
very unusual to see a _remise_ in the course of the evening. Wednesdays,
the evening was spent with the widow of the justice's clerk, who had
four daughters to marry and no money to give them. There they played
innocent games or acted charades or proverbs. In the first place, those
games do not wear out cards, and require fewer candles; in the second
place, the young men soon become well acquainted with the young ladies
while playing such games. They talk and laugh together; and many a
passion has had its birth in crambo, or the little box of _amourettes_.
While whispering a _confidence_, one can easily put in a word of love;
while pretending to sulk, one can say many things! That is the way more
than one marriage is made; and when one has four daughters to look
after, no means should be neglected. However, everything was all right
at the widow's; the games were carried on with the strictest decorum,
and blind-man's-buff seated was prohibited. Thursdays, the meetings were
at an ex-councillor's. Everybody was not received there; only the cream
of society. The guests were forbidden to talk politics, war, affairs of
state, or newspaper rumors. There was no card playing, because that was
a bad example for the young; there was no dancing, because madame la
conseillère, who was old but coquettish, could never obtain a partner;
there were no charades, because they disturb the orderly arrangement of
a salon, and may result in marring the furniture and tearing curtains;
there were no innocent games, because the councillor considered them
indecorous; there were no refreshments, because well-bred people never
need anything of the sort. With these restrictions, one could say and
do whatever one chose, and, of course, enjoy one's self immensely. On
Fridays they met at the house of an elector, whose wife, who was young
and pretty, followed all the fashions of the capital. There you did
whatever you chose; no restraint, no ceremony. Dancing was permitted,
and singing, when anyone desired to sing. Sometimes there was
instrumental music, because there was a piano. All sorts of games were
played, from loto to chess; and you could risk a sou or a louis at your
pleasure. Everybody said what came into his head; they laughed and joked
and talked as they liked; opinions were free; almost all the newspapers
were to be found there, and all sorts of refreshments were provided. It
was after the style of the receptions in the Chaussée d'Antin at Paris.
On Saturdays--ah! that was the day when they all met at my sister's.
"You will see what fun we have," she said to me; "such a noise, such
_go_! You can't hear what anyone says, but we laugh, and everyone tries
to be merrier than the rest. Why, sometimes the time passes so quickly,
that they are still here at half-past ten!"
"Half-past ten in the morning?"
"Why, no! in the evening. Are you mad?"
"Do you call that late?"
"I should say so! the custom is to go home at ten o'clock precisely."
"Great heaven! I am no longer surprised that your children wake you up
at seven o'clock! But on Sundays?"
"Oh! on Sundays we meet at monsieur le maire's. There are always a lot
of people there. He has a billiard table, and, besides that, the young
people dance. You can judge for yourself what fun we have. That, my
dear Eugène, is the way we employ the week. As you see, there is some
new pleasure every day, and we have no time to be bored."
"You have no theatrical performances?"
"Very seldom; but we get along without them."
"No concerts?"
"Why, what about those we give among ourselves? And then, in fine
weather, there are the drives about the neighborhood, which are
beautiful: the little forest of La Rochette, Trois-Moulins, and a
thousand delicious spots. And fishing and hunting, and the news of the
town; the little intrigues that everybody knows about after a week, the
quarrels, the gossip, the comments, the fashions, which we think about
here even more than they do in Paris; and the parties, dinners,
baptisms, weddings; ah! the weddings above all! they give us something
to talk about for a month!--Oh! you'll see, my dear brother, that we
have a much better time in the provinces than they do in Paris."
My sister did not interrupt her enumeration of the pleasures of
provincial life until she saw her husband giving coffee to the little
boys, when a slight discussion ensued.
"Why do you give those children coffee? it won't do them any good."
"Bah!"
"It excites them."
"Bah!"
"And then, they don't sleep at night."
"Bah! bah!"
"Oh! how you tire me with your _bah! bah!_ I tell you, I don't want them
to drink it!"
"Just a drop."
"It makes no difference."
"It's three-fourths milk."
"If there were twice as much, it would make no difference.--Come here,
messieurs, and don't drink any more."
"I want some more!"
"Here, my boy, drink this."
"Will you obey me this minute!"
"Come, come, let them alone."
"No, I don't want them to drink it."
And my sister seized the cup, her husband held fast to it, and the
children squealed. Luckily, between them the cup was broken and the
coffee spilled, which fact put an end to this scene of domestic bliss,
to which I found it difficult to accustom myself. The day was employed
in showing me the town and taking me to see my sister's intimate
acquaintances. I let her take me wherever she wished; I was so
complaisant and docile that she was enchanted. She found me much more
staid and reasonable than at my last visit.
After dinner, Déneterre took me to play a game of pool at his café; then
we went home to get my sister to go to a reception. It was Thursday,
unluckily for me. I had fallen upon the ex-councillor's day, and I saw
none but cold, forbidding faces, and stiff, formal figures. Fortunately,
the guests did not arrive until half-past eight and left at a quarter to
ten, so that the soirée lasted only an hour and a quarter; the first
third was occupied in salutations and reverences, the second in
exchanging commonplaces and nodding the head in assent, and the last in
yawns, concealed with the hand, the handkerchief, or the snuffbox.
The next evening belonged to the elector; it compensated me to some
extent for the boredom of the preceding one. I found there several
pretty women and a little less formality and more merriment. In the
course of a week I ran the whole gamut of receptions and knew the whole
town. I was well received everywhere; I was rich and unmarried: that was
more than was necessary to assure me a warm welcome.
I began to become accustomed to the conjugal discussions, and to the
pranks of my nephews, who were little demons in very truth. I saw that,
taking everything together, my sister and her husband were happy; in the
finest weather of one's life storms may arise; a picture must have
shadows to bring out the lights. Their little quarrels did not prevent
their loving each other, and their children's defects were graces in
their eyes. However, I hoped that, if I ever married, I should have
fewer petty _discussions_ with my wife, and I resolved to bring up my
children in an entirely different way; but perhaps I should have
troubles which my sister and her husband had never known.
I had been in the province a fortnight. I cannot say that I enjoyed
myself exactly, but at least I was not discontented. The novelty of the
life, the original faces that I saw every night, my sister's affection
and her husband's--all these served to divert my thoughts; time produced
its inevitable effect, my melancholy disappeared, and I became what I
used to be. However, I had not entirely forgotten Nicette; I felt that I
still loved her; but when the thought of her came to my mind, I had the
strength to put it aside, and I imposed silence on my heart.
I would have been glad to fall in love anew--were it only a caprice, one
of those flames which used to set me on fire so quickly; perhaps that
would cure me entirely. But long for it as I would, I could not compel
any such feeling! I looked about me; I saw some good-looking women, some
few faces formed to please; but I saw nobody who resembled Nicette.