PARIS
The next morning the girls spent in packing and getting ready to go
ashore. "I'm sure I don't know where all these things came from," said
Patty; "but I know I have just about twice as many earthly possessions
as I had when I came aboard. I hate to pitch them out of the porthole,
but I simply can't get them all in my trunks."
"Nor I," said Elise. "People have been giving us things ever since we
started, and we must be greedies, because we haven't given anything
away, and now what shall we do with them?"
"Let's give a lot away," said Patty. "We've pretty much read all we
want to of this mountain of light literature. Let's give it all to the
stewardess; and what do you think, Elise, about giving Yankee Doodle to
the captain? He is a blessed old bear, and I hate to look forward to
life without him, but I don't see how we can cart him to Paris, unless
we carry him in our arms, and that's where I draw the line."
"So do I," declared Elise. "We might ask Lisette to carry him, but I
know she wouldn't want to do it. Yes, let's give him to the captain as
a souvenir of our trip."
This plan was carried out, and the captain was really delighted at the
comical gift. He said he should always keep it as a remembrance of the
donors, and he hoped that when they returned to America they would
again travel on his ship.
The steamer stopped at Plymouth and then went straight on to Havre.
Everybody was in a great state of excitement; passengers were getting
off and mails getting on at Plymouth, and plenty of wonderful and
interesting things to look at as they sailed along the channel.
Patty felt truly sorry to say good-bye to many of the friends she had
made on board. But from others she would not be parted until they
reached Paris. The Van Ness party, the old Ma'amselle, Florrie Nash,
Bert Chester, and Mr. Pauvret were all going in the special train to
Paris, as the Farringtons were.
Patty thought this meant they could all travel together, but to her
surprise she found the French trains very different from those on
American railroads.
The special boat-train which they were to take left directly from the
steamer's dock and was an express direct to Paris without stop, landing
them there in less than four hours.
The Farrington party had a whole compartment in this train, and as a
compartment only holds six people, they comfortably filled it, using
the extra seat for hand luggage and so forth.
Patty thought the appointments more luxurious than our own
parlour-cars, for the seats were beautifully upholstered in a
pearl-grey material, and everything was lavishly decorated, after the
French fashion. All of these compartments opened on to a corridor which
ran along the side of the car, and Patty soon discovered that thus she
could visit her neighbours in the other compartments.
Both Patty and Elise were greatly excited and interested in watching
the French landscapes, and trying to make out the names of the towns
through which they rapidly flew. But with the exception of some of the
larger towns they could not read the names, and so gave that up for the
more interesting occupation of watching the villages and hamlets as
they succeeded each other.
Bert Chester came in to visit them, and expressed a hope that he might
see them in Paris.
He was to remain there only a week, and then he was to join some of his
friends, some young Englishmen, and go for a short motor tour in
southern France.
Mr. Farrington said that he expected to take his party motoring along
the same route, but did not expect to go at present.
Young Chester was sorry that they could not go together, but said that
perhaps when Mr. Farrington was ready he and his friends would come
over again for another spin.
Bert Chester was a son of a wealthy English squire, and though
distinctly British in his ways, was broad-minded enough to like
Americans, and moreover was a young man of innate politeness and
affable manners. The elder Farringtons liked him extremely, and
cordially invited him to come to see them while in Paris.
"We sha'n't have a house of our own just at first," explained Elise;
"we're going to a hotel while father and mother look around and select
a house for the winter."
"I'm glad," said Patty, "to go to a hotel first. I've never stayed at a
big hotel, and I'm sure it will be delightful for a time."
[Illustration with caption: "The next morning the girls spent in
packing and getting ready to go ashore"]
"You'll like the one you're going to," said Chester. "The Ritz is
really the old palace of the Castiglione, an ancient French family, and
though it is, of course, somewhat rebuilt, much of the original
remains, especially the beautiful old garden with its wonderful trees
and fountain. I'll give you a day or two to 'find yourselves,' and then
I shall come around to call, and shall expect you to be glad to see me."
"We'll be very glad to see you," said Patty cordially, for she had a
sincere liking for the young Englishman.
Then Patty and Elise went with Bert to look in for a little chat with
the Van Ness party. Although Patty liked the Van Ness girls in a way,
she was rather relieved to find that they were not going to the same
hotel.
Patty had an intuitive sense of the fitness of things, and she couldn't
help thinking that the Van Ness sisters, though good-hearted and
good-natured, were of a type apt to be a trifle too conspicuous in a
large hotel. The Farringtons were quiet-mannered folk, and Patty had
often noticed and admired the dignified yet pleasant manner which Mr.
Farrington invariably showed to officials or to servants.
He never gave orders in a loud voice or dictatorial manner, yet his
orders were always carried out obediently and willingly, and everybody
showed him the greatest respect and deference. Mr. Van Ness on the
other hand was imperious and ostentatious. He was prone to be critical,
and often became annoyed at trifles. Patty was rapidly learning that
the true character can be very easily discovered among one's travelling
companions. There is something about the friction of travel that brings
out all that is worst and best in one's disposition.
And so when Patty found that the Van Nesses were going to a different
hotel from themselves she was really glad, though she hoped to see them
occasionally during their stay in Paris.
The train reached the Gare du Nord at about six o'clock, and when our
party went into the rather dimly lighted station Patty thought she had
never before seen such pandemonium. Everybody seemed to be in trouble
of some sort. Some were running hither and thither, exclaiming and
expostulating, but apparently to no avail. Others sat hopelessly and
helplessly on their own luggage, seeming to despair of ever getting any
further.
The luggage room was an immense place, stone-floored and rather damp.
There were several separate counters where passengers were supposed to
attend to the checking of their baggage; but though there were plenty
of officials and porters about, none of them seemed anxious or even
willing to wait upon anybody. Patty saw many people appeal to one man
after another in a vain hope of getting their wants attended to. But it
seemed to be almost impossible. To those who could not speak French the
situation was hopeless indeed. Patty watched one poor lady, who seemed
to be travelling alone, and who continually inquired of the stolid and
unobliging porters, "Do you speak English?" and invariably received the
reply, "Non, madame; non, madame." The lonely little lady seemed to be
in despair, and Patty wished she could help her, but she did not know
herself what made the difficulty. At last she discovered that it was
necessary to get a customs inspector and a porter and a railway
official all together in one place and at one time. This done, the rest
was easy, at least to the traveller who knew sufficient French to make
his wants known.
This Mr. Farrington managed to accomplish after some delay. The
official ceremonies then being soon over, and our travellers having
repeatedly declared that they were transporting nothing eatable, they
were allowed to drive away in cabs. The cabs in Paris are of the low,
open pattern, like a victoria, and they looked very strange and
informal to Patty, who had never seen any but closed cabs or hansoms.
Mr. and Mrs. Farrington rode in the first cab, which was followed by
another, containing Patty and Elise, with Lisette, who sat on the
small, folding front seat.
Patty held her breath with excitement when she realised that she was in
Paris at last.
They drove through the streets, which were not very well lighted,
gazing eagerly at the strange sights everywhere about them.
Their hotel was in the Place Vendome, and the drive there from the
station was not through the beautiful boulevards, but through some
narrow and not particularly clean streets.
But when they rolled into the Rue de la Paix and drove toward the Place
Vendome, the girls began to think that Paris was beautiful, after all.
It was rather more than dusk, but not dark, and the great square, with
its circumference of colonnaded buildings, and the wonderful column in
the centre, was exceedingly impressive, and filled Patty's soul with a
rapturous awe.
"Oh, Elise," she cried, grasping her companion's hand; "I never
supposed Paris would be like this! I thought it would be bright and gay
and festive; but instead of that, it's grand and solemn and
awe-inspiring."
"So it is, here," said Elise; "but there is plenty of brightness and
gaiety in some parts of the city, I expect. Of course, this is historic
ground, and I suppose it was pretty much as it is now in the days when
they were building French history. That's Napoleon on top of that
statue, though you can't recognise him from here. You know about the
column, of course. It's been overthrown and rebuilt three or four
times."
"Yes, I remember studying about it in French history. It was torn down
at the time of the Commune, and later re-erected from the fragments.
But you know when you study those dry facts they don't seem to mean
anything; but to be here, really in Paris, looking at that wonderful
column, in this dusky light, and the stars just beginning to show--oh,
Elise, it's more like fairy tales than history!"
"I love it, too," said Elise; "and I'm so glad to be here with you. Oh,
Patty, we are going to have a beautiful time!"
"Well, I rather guess we are!" said Patty, with true Yankee enthusiasm.
Then their cabs drove in at the arched entrance of the Hotel Ritz, and
a most important looking personage in blue uniform assisted them to
alight. Other attendants in unostentatious livery swung open the glass
doors and our party entered. The proprietor, who advanced to meet them,
was a courtly, polite Frenchman, in correct evening dress, whose suave
and deferential manner was truly typical of his race. He seemed to take
a personal interest in his newly arrived guests, and himself conducted
them to their apartments.
Patty followed with the rest, feeling almost like pinching herself to
see if she were awake or in an enchanted dream. The hotel was
particularly beautiful, and the furnishings unlike any she had ever
seen before. Carpets, furniture, and decorations were all in the palest
tints of lovely colours. Doors and windows and many of the partitioned
walls were of glass, in ornate gilt frames, through which one could see
fascinating rooms beyond. A few choice pictures hung on the walls, and
here and there were French cabinets of curios and rare laces.
The elevator seemed to be entirely of glass, and was furnished with
dainty white upholstery and gilded woodwork. Bouquets of fresh flowers
were here and there on small tables in the rooms and halls.
The suite of rooms allotted to the Farringtons looked out upon the
Place Vendome, and Patty flew to the window to gaze again upon the
beautiful scene.
The rooms were daintily furnished with the same exquisite taste that
prevailed throughout the house. Lace curtains framed the deep-seated
windows, an Empire clock and candelabra graced the carved mantel, and
the furniture was rich and abundant.
"I don't think," said Patty, "that I ever saw a more beautiful palace.
And I'm so glad I'm here I don't know what to do! Just think of it,
Elise, we'll live here in this lovely room for a fortnight anyway!"
"It is lovely," said Elise; "but I expect we'll get tired of hotel life
and be glad to have a home of our own."
"Very likely," said Patty, with a little sigh of content; "but I shall
be perfectly happy wherever we are."
"I believe you will, Patty," said Elise, laughing; "you love this
beautiful place, but if it hadn't been half as pretty, you would have
made just as much fuss over it."
"I know it," said Patty, rather apologetically; "but I can't help it,
Elise. I seem to be made that way. When I like anything, you know, I
enjoy it just as much as I possibly can, and that's all I can do,
anyway."
The room which the two girls were to share was a large double-bedded
apartment, with dressing rooms and bath adjoining. It was perfect in
every detail of comfort and luxury as well as beauty, but when Lisette
came in to assist the girls in dressing for dinner she found them both
hanging out of the front windows gazing at the Vendome Column.
However, they expressed themselves as quite ready to prepare for
dinner, and after doning pretty light costumes, they joined Mr. and
Mrs. Farrington, and went down to the dining-room.
The dining-room proper of the hotel was an indoor apartment, but all
through the summer the guests were accustomed to dine under the open
sky, at small tables in the garden.
Owing to an unusually late season, it was still warm enough to dine
outside, and when Patty saw the scene in the garden she thought Paris
was fairyland indeed. Though called a garden, it was really a
stone-paved court, but all round its edge on two sides were large old
trees with gnarled and twisted trunks and thick foliage of glossy
green. Under the trees were flower-beds full of blossoming plants, and
in the branches of the trees themselves were hung vari-coloured globes
of electric lights about the size of an orange. The effect of these
brilliant spheres in the dark trees was as beautiful as it was unusual,
and the scene was further made bright by arches and festoons of
brilliant coloured lights, which crossed and twined above their heads
in every direction. At the end of the garden was an immense fountain
surrounded by statues, and playing many jets of water, which flashed
and sparkled in the light.
Around two sides of the garden ran the verandas of the hotel, and the
diners could sit on these verandas or out in the open, as they
preferred.
The gay scene was completed by the throngs of people; the French women
in their dainty costumes, the French men with their correct garb and
demeanour, as well as a good sprinkling of strangers from other
countries.
So interested was Patty in looking at it all that she declared she
didn't want a thing to eat. But when the choice selections of French
cookery were placed before her, she changed her mind and did full
justice to the repast.
After dinner they sat for a short time in the drawing-room, and then
Mr. Farrington declared they must all go to rest, as he had planned a
busy day for them on the morrow.