MÉLANIE

"I suppose," Chester said, breaking another silence, "you and that

mother, and your father, have sat in the flowery sunshine of this old

plaza together----"

"A thousan' time'," the ironworker replied, mused a bit, and added: "My

frien', you are a so patient listener as I never see. Biccause I know

you are all that time waiting for a differen' story. And now--I shall

tell you that?"

"Yes, however it hits me I've got to know it."

"Well, after that, a year and half, I am born. I grow up. I 'ave

brother' and sizter'. We all get marrie', and they, they are scatter'

over the face of Louisiana. But me, I'm the oldest and my father take

great trouble in educating me to sugceed him in his businezz, and so I

did, like you see. And the same with Dubroca and with Castanado--Ducatel

he's different he's come into that antique businezz by his mizfortune and

he's--oh, he's all right only he's not of the same inspiration to be of

that li'l' clique. He's up-town Creole and with the up-town Creole mind.

And those De l'Isle' they also got a son, and Mme. Alexandre she have a

very amiable daughter; and, laz', not leazt, you know, those

Chapdelaine'----"

"I certainly do," Chester murmured.

"Yes, assuredlie," said Beloiseau. "Well, now: In those generation'

befo' there was in Royal Street--and Bourbon--and Dauphine--bisside'

crozz-street'--so many of our--I ignore the Englizh word for that--our

_affinité_, that our whole market of mat-_rim_-ony was not juz' in one

square of Royal; but presently, it break out like an épidémique, ammongs'

our chil'ren, to marry juz' accrozz and accrozz the street; a Beloiseau

to a Castanado, a Castanado to a Dubroca, and so forth--even fifth!" The

speaker smiled benignly. "Hah! many year' they work' my geniuz hard to

make iron candlestick'--orig-in-al diz-ign--for wedding-present'. The

moze of them, they marrie' without any romanze, egcep' what cann' be

av-oid', inside the heart, when both partie' are young, and in love

together, and not rich neither deztitute. But year biffo' laz' we have

the romanze of that daughter of Mme. Alexandre and son of De l'Isle and

son of Dubroca."

"Is that Mélanie, whom you all mention so often but whom I've never seen?"

"Yes. Reason you don't see her---- But I'll tell you that. Mr.

Chezter, that would make a beautyful story to go with those other' in

that book of Mlle. Aline--but of co'se by changing those name', and by

preten'ing that happen' at Hong Kong, or Chicago, or Bogota. Presently

'tis too short, but you can easy mazk and coztume that in a splendid

rhétorique till it's plenty long enough."

"H'mm!" said Chester, wondering at the artisan's artlessness off his

beaten track. "Go on."

"Well, she's not beautyful, Mélanie; same time she's not bad-looking and

she's kindess of the kind, and whoever she love'--her mother, for

example--and Mlle. Aline--tha'z pretty touching, to see with what an

inten-_city_ she love'.

"Now, what I tell you, tha'z a very sicret bitwin you and me. Biccause

even those Dubroca', _père_ and _mère_, and those De l'Isle', _père_ and

_mère_, they do' know _all_ that; and me I know that only from Castanado,

who know' it only from his wife; biccause she, she know' it only from

Mlle. Aline, and none of them know that I know egcep' those Castanado'.

"Well! sinze chilehood those three--Mélanie, De l'Isle, Dubroca,--they

are playmate' together, and Dubroca he's always call' Mélanie his

swit-heart. But De l'Isle, no. Always biffo', those De l'Isle they are

of the, eh, the _beau monde_ and though li'l' by li'l' losing their

fortune, keeping their frien', some of them rich, yet still ad the same

time nize people. And that young De l'Isle he's a good-looking,

well-behave', ambitiouz, and got--what you call--dash!

"That was the condition when they are all graduate' from school and go

each into his o'cupation, or hers, up to the eyebrow'. Mélanie and Mlle.

Aline they work' with Mme. Alexandre, though not precizely together,

biccause Mélanie she show' only an ability to keep those account' and to

assist keeping shop, whiles Mlle. Aline she rimain' always up-stair'

employing that great talent tha'z too valu'ble to be interrupt'."

"Doesn't she keep the books now?"

"Yes, but tha'z only to assist Mélanie whiles Mélanie she's, eh, away.

Dubroca he go' into businezz with his father, likewise Castanado with his

father, but De l'Isle he's made a secretary in City-hall. So he have mo'

time than those other' and he go' oft-en into society, and he get those

manner' and cuztom' of society. And then that young Dubroca biggen very

plain to pay his intention' to Mélanie, and we are all pretty glad to

notiz that, biccause whiles he don't got that dash of De l'Isle, he's

modess, yet still brave to a perfegtion; and he's square and got plenty

sense, and he's steady and he's kind. Every way they are suit' to each

other and we think--if that poor old rue Royale _con_-tinue to run down,

that will even be good to join those two businezz' together. And

bisside', sinze a li'l' shaver Dubroca he ain't never love nobody else,

only Mélanie.

"But also De l'Isle, like Dubroca, he was always pretty glad of every

egscuse to drop in there at Mme. Alexandre and pass word with Mélanie.

'Twas easy to see 'tis to Mlle. Aline he's in love and he come talk to

Mélanie biccause tha'z the nearess he can reach to Mlle. Aline egcep'

juz' saying good-day whiles passing on street or at church door. Oh, he

behave the perfec' gen'leman, and still tha'z one reason she get that

li'l' 'Ector. Yes, we all see that, only Mélanie she don't. So Mlle.

Aline she ezcape' him all she could, but, with that dash he's got, he

persevere' to hang on. And tha'z the miztake they both did, him and

Mélanie, in doing that American way, keeping that to themselve' instead

of--French way--telling their parent'.

"Then another thing tranzpire'. My son and that son of Castanado bigin,

both--but that come' mo' later. Any'ow one day Mélanie she bring Mlle.

Aline a note from De l'Isle sol-iciting if she and Mélanie will go at

matinée with him and Dubroca. And when mademoiselle bigin to make

egscuse' Mélanie implore' her to go, biccause Mme. Alexandre say no

Creole girl cann' go juz' with one man, or even with two. 'And mamma

she's right,' Mélanie say--with tear',--'even in that Am'erican way they

got a limit, and same time I'm perishing to go!'

"And when mademoiselle hear' what that play is ab-out she consent' at the

lazt to go. Biccause tha'z ab-out a girl what billieve' a man's in love

to her, biccause he pay her those li'l' galanterie of high life--li'l'

pol-ite figtion'--what every man---unless he's marrie'--egspect to pay to

every girl, to make thing' pleasant, you know?

"And that play turn out a so egcellent that many people, paying admission

ad the door, find they got to pay ag-ain, secon' time, ad their seat, in

tear' that they weep; and that make it not so hard for Mélanie, who weep

ab-out ten price'. Negs day, Sunday, avter church and dinner, she come

yonder ad the home of mademoiselle, you know, Bourbon Street, and sit

with her in the gol'fish bower of that li'l' garden behine. And she's

very much bow' down. And she h-ask mademoiselle if she ain't notiz sinz

long time how De l'Isle is paying intention to her, Mélanie. But

mademoiselle di'n' have to be embarrazz' what to answer, biccause Mélanie

she's so rattle' she don't wait to hear. And Mélanie she say tha'z one

cause that she was wanting De l'Isle to see that play; biccause sinz

lately she's notiz he's make himseff very complimentary also to

mademoiselle, and she, Mélanie, she want' him to notiz how that way he's

in danger to make mizunderstanding and diztress to himseff and--all

concern'.

"And she prod-uce' a piece paper _fill_' with memorandum' of compliment'

he's say to her one time and other, what she's wrote down whiles frezh

spoken and what she billieve' are proof that he's in love to her and

inten' to make his proposition so soon he's got good sign' he'll be

accept'. 'But I ain't never give' him sign,' she say, 'biccause a girl

she cann' never be too careful. And so I think I'm bound to show that to

you, biccause I muz'n' be careful only for myseff, and if he's say such

thing' likewise to you, then tha'z to be false to both of us together.

But, I think,' she say, 'M. De l'Isle he coul'n' never do that!'"

"How did she say all that, angrily or meekly?"

"Oh! meek and weeping till mademoiselle she's compel' to weep likewise.

And ad the end she's compel' to tell Mélanie yes, De l'Isle he's pay her

those same kind of sentimental plaisanteries; rosebud' to pin on the

heart _outside_, a few minute', till the negs cavalier. Castanado, she

say, Beloiseau, they do the same--even more. 'Ah!' Mélanie say, 'but

only to you! and only biccause to say any mo' they are yet af-raid!

Mademoiselle, those both, they are both in love to you!'

"And when Mélanie say that, Mlle. Aline take the both hand' of Mélanie in

her both han' and ask her if she ain't herseff put them both, Castanado,

Beloiseau, up to that--to fall in love to her. And pretty soon Mélanie

she's compel' to confezz that, not with word', but juz' with the

fore-head on the knee of mademoiselle and crying like babie. And she say

she's sin'. And yet same time while she h-ask' mademoiselle to pray the

good God and the mother of God to forgive that sin, she h-ask her to pray

also that they'll make De l'Isle to love her.

"Biccause, she say, 'tis those unfortunate rosebud' of sentimental

plaisanterie he give her what firz' make her to love him. And

mademoiselle she ag-ree' to that if Mélanie she'll tell that whole story

also to her mother; biccause mademoiselle she see what a hole that put

them both in, her and Mélanie, when she, mademoiselle, is bound to know

he's paying, De l'Isle, all his real intention' to herseff. And Mélanie

she's in agonie and say no-no-no! but if mademoiselle will tell it, yes!

And by reason that she's kep' that from her mother sinze the firz', she

say tell not Mme. Alexandre but Mme. Castanado, even when mademoiselle

say if Mme. Castanado then also monsieur; biccause madame she'll

certainly make that condition, and biccause monsieur he can assist her to

commenze that whole businezz over, French way. And same time Mélanie she

take very li'l' stock in that French way, by reason that, avter all,

those De l'Isle, though their money's gone, are still pretty high-life.

"And tha'z how it come that those Castanado' have to tell me. Biccause

madame she cann' skip ar-ound pretty light, you know, and biccause they

think my, eh--pull--with those De l'Isle' is the moze of anybody, and

biccause I require to know how they are sure 'tis uzeless any mo' for

_my_ son, or _their_ son, than for the son of De l'Isle, to sed the heart

on Mlle. Aline. Also tha'z to egsplain me why Mlle. Aline say if all

those intention' to her don't finizh righd there, she got to stop coming

ad Mme. Alexandre. And of co'se! You see that, I su'pose?"

"And where was young Dubroca in all this?"

"Ah, another migsture! He was nowhere. Any'ow, tha'z how he feel; and

those other three boy' they di'n' feel otherwise. You see? We coul'n'

egsplain them anything--ab-out Mlle. Aline,--all we can say: 'Road

close'--stim-roller.' So ad the end Dubroca he have, slimly, the

advantage; for him, to Mélanie, the road any 'ow seem' open; yet in vain.

So there, all at same time, in that li'l' gang, rue Royale, was five

heart' blidding for love, and nine other' blidding for those five and for

Mlle. Aline.

"Well, of co'se--you see?--nobody cann' stand that! Firzt to find his

way out of that is Mélanie. Mélanie's confessor he think tha'z a sin to

keep any longer those fact' from her mother, and she confezz them to Mme.

Alexandre, and ad the end she say: 'Mamma, in our li'l' coterie I cann'

look anybody in the face any mo', and I'm going to biccome train' nurse.

Tha'z not running away, yet same time tha'z not every evening to be

getting me singe' in the same candle.'

"Then, almoze while she saying that, that son of De l'Isle he say to my

son--who he's fon' of like a brother, and my son of him likewise, though

the one is a so dashing and the other a so quiet--''Oiseau,' he

say,--biccause tha'z the nickname of my son,--'papa and me we visit' the

French consul to-day and arrange' a li'l' affair.'

"And when he want' to tell some mo' my son he stop' him: 'Enough! I

div-ine that. Why you di'n' take me al-ong? You'll arrange to go at

that France, of my _grand'mère_, and that Alsace, of her mother, to be

fighting _aviateur_, and leave '_Oiseau_ behine? Ah, you cann' do that!'

And when that young Dubroca and Castanado get the win' of them, the all

four, all of same sweet maladie, they go together; two to be juz'

_poilu_', two, _aviateur_'. That old remedie, you know; if they can't

love--they'll fight! They are yonder, still al-ive, laz' account."

Mainly to himself Chester said, "And I am here, my land still at peace,

last account."

"And also you, you've h-ask' mademoiselle, I think," said the ironworker,

"and alas, she's say aggain, no, eh?"

The reply was a gaze and a nod.

"Well, Mr. Chezter, I'm sorrie! Her reason--you can't tell. 'Tis maybe

juz' biccause those hero' are yonder. 'Tis maybe only that those two

aunt' are here. Maybe 'tis biccause both, maybe neither. You can't

tell. Maybe you h-ask too soon. Ad the present she know' you only sinze

a few week'. She don't know none of yo' hiztorie, neither yo'

familie--egcep' that h-angel of the Lord. Yo' char-_acter_, she may like

that very well yet same time she know' how easy that is for women to make

miztake' about. Maybe y'ought to 'ave ask' M'sieu' Thorndyke-Smith to

write at yo' home-town and get you recommen'. Even a cook he's got to

'ave that--or a publisher, eh?"

"I've got that--within reach; my law firm has it. But, pshaw! _I_

think, Beloiseau, while all your maybe's may be right the thing that

explains mademoiselle's whole situation is that she's never seen a man

worthy to touch a hem of her robe; and the only argument a lover can lay

at her feet is that she never will."

"And you'll lay that, negs time?"

"Not till that manuscript business is settled, don't you see? Come, you

must go to bed."