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diff --git a/old/1253-0.txt b/old/1253-0.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..6549c12 --- /dev/null +++ b/old/1253-0.txt @@ -0,0 +1,1703 @@ +The Project Gutenberg EBook of A Simple Soul, by Gustave Flaubert + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: A Simple Soul + +Author: Gustave Flaubert + +Release Date: February 18, 2006 [EBook #1253] +Last Updated: September 14, 2016 + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: UTF-8 + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK A SIMPLE SOUL *** + + + + +Produced by Dagny, John Bickers and David Widger + + + + + +A SIMPLE SOUL + +By Gustave Flaubert + + + + +CHAPTER I + +For half a century the housewives of Pont-l’Eveque had envied Madame +Aubain her servant Felicite. + +For a hundred francs a year, she cooked and did the housework, washed, +ironed, mended, harnessed the horse, fattened the poultry, made the +butter and remained faithful to her mistress--although the latter was by +no means an agreeable person. + +Madame Aubain had married a comely youth without any money, who died in +the beginning of 1809, leaving her with two young children and a number +of debts. She sold all her property excepting the farm of Toucques and +the farm of Geffosses, the income of which barely amounted to 5,000 +francs; then she left her house in Saint-Melaine, and moved into a less +pretentious one which had belonged to her ancestors and stood back of +the market-place. This house, with its slate-covered roof, was built +between a passage-way and a narrow street that led to the river. The +interior was so unevenly graded that it caused people to stumble. A +narrow hall separated the kitchen from the parlour, where Madame Aubain +sat all day in a straw armchair near the window. Eight mahogany chairs +stood in a row against the white wainscoting. An old piano, standing +beneath a barometer, was covered with a pyramid of old books and boxes. +On either side of the yellow marble mantelpiece, in Louis XV. style, +stood a tapestry armchair. The clock represented a temple of Vesta; +and the whole room smelled musty, as it was on a lower level than the +garden. + +On the first floor was Madame’s bed-chamber, a large room papered in a +flowered design and containing the portrait of Monsieur dressed in the +costume of a dandy. It communicated with a smaller room, in which there +were two little cribs, without any mattresses. Next, came the parlour +(always closed), filled with furniture covered with sheets. Then a hall, +which led to the study, where books and papers were piled on the shelves +of a book-case that enclosed three quarters of the big black desk. +Two panels were entirely hidden under pen-and-ink sketches, Gouache +landscapes and Audran engravings, relics of better times and vanished +luxury. On the second floor, a garret-window lighted Felicite’s room, +which looked out upon the meadows. + +She arose at daybreak, in order to attend mass, and she worked without +interruption until night; then, when dinner was over, the dishes cleared +away and the door securely locked, she would bury the log under the +ashes and fall asleep in front of the hearth with a rosary in her hand. +Nobody could bargain with greater obstinacy, and as for cleanliness, +the lustre on her brass sauce-pans was the envy and despair of other +servants. She was most economical, and when she ate she would gather up +crumbs with the tip of her finger, so that nothing should be wasted of +the loaf of bread weighing twelve pounds which was baked especially for +her and lasted three weeks. + +Summer and winter she wore a dimity kerchief fastened in the back with a +pin, a cap which concealed her hair, a red skirt, grey stockings, and an +apron with a bib like those worn by hospital nurses. + +Her face was thin and her voice shrill. When she was twenty-five, she +looked forty. After she had passed fifty, nobody could tell her +age; erect and silent always, she resembled a wooden figure working +automatically. + + + + +CHAPTER II + +Like every other woman, she had had an affair of the heart. Her father, +who was a mason, was killed by falling from a scaffolding. Then her +mother died and her sisters went their different ways; a farmer took her +in, and while she was quite small, let her keep cows in the fields. She +was clad in miserable rags, beaten for the slightest offence and finally +dismissed for a theft of thirty sous which she did not commit. She took +service on another farm where she tended the poultry; and as she was +well thought of by her master, her fellow-workers soon grew jealous. + +One evening in August (she was then eighteen years old), they persuaded +her to accompany them to the fair at Colleville. She was immediately +dazzled by the noise, the lights in the trees, the brightness of the +dresses, the laces and gold crosses, and the crowd of people all +hopping at the same time. She was standing modestly at a distance, when +presently a young man of well-to-do appearance, who had been leaning on +the pole of a wagon and smoking his pipe, approached her, and asked her +for a dance. He treated her to cider and cake, bought her a silk shawl, +and then, thinking she had guessed his purpose, offered to see her home. +When they came to the end of a field he threw her down brutally. But she +grew frightened and screamed, and he walked off. + +One evening, on the road leading to Beaumont, she came upon a wagon +loaded with hay, and when she overtook it, she recognised Theodore. He +greeted her calmly, and asked her to forget what had happened between +them, as it “was all the fault of the drink.” + +She did not know what to reply and wished to run away. + +Presently he began to speak of the harvest and of the notables of the +village; his father had left Colleville and bought the farm of Les +Ecots, so that now they would be neighbours. “Ah!” she exclaimed. He +then added that his parents were looking around for a wife for him, but +that he, himself, was not so anxious and preferred to wait for a girl +who suited him. She hung her head. He then asked her whether she had +ever thought of marrying. She replied, smilingly, that it was wrong of +him to make fun of her. “Oh! no, I am in earnest,” he said, and put his +left arm around her waist while they sauntered along. The air was soft, +the stars were bright, and the huge load of hay oscillated in front of +them, drawn by four horses whose ponderous hoofs raised clouds of dust. +Without a word from their driver they turned to the right. He kissed her +again and she went home. The following week, Theodore obtained meetings. + +They met in yards, behind walls or under isolated trees. She was not +ignorant, as girls of well-to-do families are--for the animals had +instructed her;--but her reason and her instinct of honour kept her from +falling. Her resistance exasperated Theodore’s love and so in order +to satisfy it (or perchance ingenuously), he offered to marry her. She +would not believe him at first, so he made solemn promises. But, in a +short time he mentioned a difficulty; the previous year, his parents had +purchased a substitute for him; but any day he might be drafted and the +prospect of serving in the army alarmed him greatly. To Felicite his +cowardice appeared a proof of his love for her, and her devotion to him +grew stronger. When she met him, he would torture her with his fears and +his entreaties. At last, he announced that he was going to the prefect +himself for information, and would let her know everything on the +following Sunday, between eleven o’clock and midnight. + +When the time grew near, she ran to meet her lover. + +But instead of Theodore, one of his friends was at the meeting-place. + +He informed her that she would never see her sweetheart again; for, +in order to escape the conscription, he had married a rich old woman, +Madame Lehoussais, of Toucques. + +The poor girl’s sorrow was frightful. She threw herself on the ground, +she cried and called on the Lord, and wandered around desolately until +sunrise. Then she went back to the farm, declared her intention of +leaving, and at the end of the month, after she had received her +wages, she packed all her belongings in a handkerchief and started for +Pont-l’Eveque. + +In front of the inn, she met a woman wearing widow’s weeds, and upon +questioning her, learned that she was looking for a cook. The girl +did not know very much, but appeared so willing and so modest in her +requirements, that Madame Aubain finally said: + +“Very well, I will give you a trial.” + +And half an hour later Felicite was installed in her house. + +At first she lived in a constant anxiety that was caused by “the style +of the household” and the memory of “Monsieur,” that hovered over +everything. Paul and Virginia, the one aged seven, and the other +barely four, seemed made of some precious material; she carried them +pig-a-back, and was greatly mortified when Madame Aubain forbade her to +kiss them every other minute. + +But in spite of all this, she was happy. The comfort of her new +surroundings had obliterated her sadness. + +Every Thursday, friends of Madame Aubain dropped in for a game of +cards, and it was Felicite’s duty to prepare the table and heat the +foot-warmers. They arrived at exactly eight o’clock and departed before +eleven. + +Every Monday morning, the dealer in second-hand goods, who lived under +the alley-way, spread out his wares on the sidewalk. Then the city would +be filled with a buzzing of voices in which the neighing of horses, the +bleating of lambs, the grunting of pigs, could be distinguished, mingled +with the sharp sound of wheels on the cobble-stones. About twelve +o’clock, when the market was in full swing, there appeared at the front +door a tall, middle-aged peasant, with a hooked nose and a cap on the +back of his head; it was Robelin, the farmer of Geffosses. Shortly +afterwards came Liebard, the farmer of Toucques, short, rotund and +ruddy, wearing a grey jacket and spurred boots. + +Both men brought their landlady either chickens or cheese. Felicite +would invariably thwart their ruses and they held her in great respect. + +At various times, Madame Aubain received a visit from the Marquis de +Gremanville, one of her uncles, who was ruined and lived at Falaise on +the remainder of his estates. He always came at dinner-time and brought +an ugly poodle with him, whose paws soiled their furniture. In spite of +his efforts to appear a man of breeding (he even went so far as to raise +his hat every time he said “My deceased father”), his habits got the +better of him, and he would fill his glass a little too often and relate +broad stories. Felicite would show him out very politely and say: “You +have had enough for this time, Monsieur de Gremanville! Hoping to see +you again!” and would close the door. + +She opened it gladly for Monsieur Bourais, a retired lawyer. His bald +head and white cravat, the ruffling of his shirt, his flowing brown +coat, the manner in which he took snuff, his whole person, in fact, +produced in her the kind of awe which we feel when we see extraordinary +persons. As he managed Madame’s estates, he spent hours with her in +Monsieur’s study; he was in constant fear of being compromised, had a +great regard for the magistracy and some pretensions to learning. + +In order to facilitate the children’s studies, he presented them with +an engraved geography which represented various scenes of the world; +cannibals with feather head-dresses, a gorilla kidnapping a young girl, +Arabs in the desert, a whale being harpooned, etc. + +Paul explained the pictures to Felicite. And, in fact, this was her only +literary education. + +The children’s studies were under the direction of a poor devil employed +at the town-hall, who sharpened his pocket-knife on his boots and was +famous for his penmanship. + +When the weather was fine, they went to Geffosses. The house was built +in the centre of the sloping yard; and the sea looked like a grey spot +in the distance. Felicite would take slices of cold meat from the lunch +basket and they would sit down and eat in a room next to the dairy. This +room was all that remained of a cottage that had been torn down. +The dilapidated wall-paper trembled in the drafts. Madame Aubain, +overwhelmed by recollections, would hang her head, while the children +were afraid to open their mouths. Then, “Why don’t you go and play?” + their mother would say; and they would scamper off. + +Paul would go to the old barn, catch birds, throw stones into the pond, +or pound the trunks of the trees with a stick till they resounded like +drums. Virginia would feed the rabbits and run to pick the wild flowers +in the fields, and her flying legs would disclose her little embroidered +pantalettes. One autumn evening, they struck out for home through the +meadows. The new moon illumined part of the sky and a mist hovered like +a veil over the sinuosities of the river. Oxen, lying in the pastures, +gazed mildly at the passing persons. In the third field, however, +several of them got up and surrounded them. “Don’t be afraid,” cried +Felicite; and murmuring a sort of lament she passed her hand over the +back of the nearest ox; he turned away and the others followed. But when +they came to the next pasture, they heard frightful bellowing. + +It was a bull which was hidden from them by the fog. He advanced towards +the two women, and Madame Aubain prepared to flee for her life. “No, +no! not so fast,” warned Felicite. Still they hurried on, for they could +hear the noisy breathing of the bull behind them. His hoofs pounded the +grass like hammers, and presently he began to gallop! Felicite turned +around and threw patches of grass in his eyes. He hung his head, shook +his horns and bellowed with fury. Madame Aubain and the children, +huddled at the end of the field, were trying to jump over the ditch. +Felicite continued to back before the bull, blinding him with dirt, +while she shouted to them to make haste. + +Madame Aubain finally slid into the ditch, after shoving first Virginia +and then Paul into it, and though she stumbled several times she +managed, by dint of courage, to climb the other side of it. + +The bull had driven Felicite up against a fence; the foam from +his muzzle flew in her face and in another minute he would have +disembowelled her. She had just time to slip between two bars and the +huge animal, thwarted, paused. + +For years, this occurrence was a topic of conversation in Pont-l’Eveque. +But Felicite took no credit to herself, and probably never knew that she +had been heroic. + +Virginia occupied her thoughts solely, for the shock she had sustained +gave her a nervous affection, and the physician, M. Poupart, prescribed +the salt-water bathing at Trouville. In those days, Trouville was +not greatly patronised. Madame Aubain gathered information, consulted +Bourais, and made preparations as if they were going on an extended +trip. + +The baggage was sent the day before on Liebard’s cart. On the following +morning, he brought around two horses, one of which had a woman’s saddle +with a velveteen back to it, while on the crupper of the other was a +rolled shawl that was to be used for a seat. Madame Aubain mounted the +second horse, behind Liebard. Felicite took charge of the little +girl, and Paul rode M. Lechaptois’ donkey, which had been lent for the +occasion on the condition that they should be careful of it. + +The road was so bad that it took two hours to cover the eight miles. +The two horses sank knee-deep into the mud and stumbled into ditches; +sometimes they had to jump over them. In certain places, Liebard’s mare +stopped abruptly. He waited patiently till she started again, and talked +of the people whose estates bordered the road, adding his own moral +reflections to the outline of their histories. Thus, when they +were passing through Toucques, and came to some windows draped with +nasturtiums, he shrugged his shoulders and said: “There’s a woman, +Madame Lehoussais, who, instead of taking a young man--” Felicite could +not catch what followed; the horses began to trot, the donkey to gallop, +and they turned into a lane; then a gate swung open, two farm-hands +appeared and they all dismounted at the very threshold of the +farm-house. + +Mother Liebard, when she caught sight of her mistress, was lavish with +joyful demonstrations. She got up a lunch which comprised a leg of +mutton, tripe, sausages, a chicken fricassee, sweet cider, a fruit tart +and some preserved prunes; then to all this the good woman added polite +remarks about Madame, who appeared to be in better health, Mademoiselle, +who had grown to be “superb,” and Paul, who had become singularly +sturdy; she spoke also of their deceased grandparents, whom the Liebards +had known, for they had been in the service of the family for several +generations. + +Like its owners, the farm had an ancient appearance. The beams of the +ceiling were mouldy, the walls black with smoke and the windows grey +with dust. The oak sideboard was filled with all sorts of utensils, +plates, pitchers, tin bowls, wolf-traps. The children laughed when they +saw a huge syringe. There was not a tree in the yard that did not have +mushrooms growing around its foot, or a bunch of mistletoe hanging in +its branches. Several of the trees had been blown down, but they had +started to grow in the middle and all were laden with quantities of +apples. The thatched roofs, which were of unequal thickness, looked like +brown velvet and could resist the fiercest gales. But the wagon-shed was +fast crumbling to ruins. Madame Aubain said that she would attend to it, +and then gave orders to have the horses saddled. + +It took another thirty minutes to reach Trouville. The little caravan +dismounted in order to pass Les Ecores, a cliff that overhangs the bay, +and a few minutes later, at the end of the dock, they entered the yard +of the Golden Lamb, an inn kept by Mother David. + +During the first few days, Virginia felt stronger, owing to the change +of air and the action of the sea-baths. She took them in her little +chemise, as she had no bathing suit, and afterwards her nurse dressed +her in the cabin of a customs officer, which was used for that purpose +by other bathers. + +In the afternoon, they would take the donkey and go to the +Roches-Noires, near Hennequeville. The path led at first through +undulating grounds, and thence to a plateau, where pastures and tilled +fields alternated. At the edge of the road, mingling with the brambles, +grew holly bushes, and here and there stood large dead trees whose +branches traced zigzags upon the blue sky. + +Ordinarily, they rested in a field facing the ocean, with Deauville on +their left, and Havre on their right. The sea glittered brightly in the +sun and was as smooth as a mirror, and so calm that they could scarcely +distinguish its murmur; sparrows chirped joyfully and the immense canopy +of heaven spread over it all. Madame Aubain brought out her sewing, +and Virginia amused herself by braiding reeds; Felicite wove lavender +blossoms, while Paul was bored and wished to go home. + +Sometimes they crossed the Toucques in a boat, and started to hunt for +sea-shells. The outgoing tide exposed star-fish and sea-urchins, and the +children tried to catch the flakes of foam which the wind blew away. The +sleepy waves lapping the sand unfurled themselves along the shore that +extended as far as the eye could see, but where land began, it was +limited by the downs which separated it from the “Swamp,” a large meadow +shaped like a hippodrome. When they went home that way, Trouville, on +the slope of a hill below, grew larger and larger as they advanced, and, +with all its houses of unequal height, seemed to spread out before them +in a sort of giddy confusion. + +When the heat was too oppressive, they remained in their rooms. The +dazzling sunlight cast bars of light between the shutters. Not a sound +in the village, not a soul on the sidewalk. This silence intensified the +tranquility of everything. In the distance, the hammers of some calkers +pounded the hull of a ship, and the sultry breeze brought them an odour +of tar. + +The principal diversion consisted in watching the return of the +fishing-smacks. As soon as they passed the beacons, they began to ply +to windward. The sails were lowered to one third of the masts, and with +their fore-sails swelled up like balloons they glided over the waves and +anchored in the middle of the harbour. Then they crept up alongside of +the dock and the sailors threw the quivering fish over the side of the +boat; a line of carts was waiting for them, and women with white caps +sprang forward to receive the baskets and embrace their men-folk. + +One day, one of them spoke to Felicite, who, after a little while, +returned to the house gleefully. She had found one of her sisters, and +presently Nastasie Barette, wife of Leroux, made her appearance, holding +an infant in her arms, another child by the hand, while on her left was +a little cabin-boy with his hands in his pockets and his cap on his ear. + +At the end of fifteen minutes, Madame Aubain bade her go. + +They always hung around the kitchen, or approached Felicite when she +and the children were out walking. The husband, however, did not show +himself. + +Felicite developed a great fondness for them; she bought them a stove, +some shirts and a blanket; it was evident that they exploited her. +Her foolishness annoyed Madame Aubain, who, moreover did not like the +nephew’s familiarity, for he called her son “thou”;--and, as Virginia +began to cough and the season was over, she decided to return to +Pont-l’Eveque. + +Monsieur Bourais assisted her in the choice of a college. The one at +Caen was considered the best. So Paul was sent away and bravely said +good-bye to them all, for he was glad to go to live in a house where he +would have boy companions. + +Madame Aubain resigned herself to the separation from her son because +it was unavoidable. Virginia brooded less and less over it. Felicite +regretted the noise he made, but soon a new occupation diverted her +mind; beginning from Christmas, she accompanied the little girl to her +catechism lesson every day. + + + + +CHAPTER III + +After she had made a curtsey at the threshold, she would walk up the +aisle between the double lines of chairs, open Madame Aubain’s pew, sit +down and look around. + +Girls and boys, the former on the right, the latter on the left-hand +side of the church, filled the stalls of the choir; the priest stood +beside the reading-desk; on one stained window of the side-aisle the +Holy Ghost hovered over the Virgin; on another one, Mary knelt before +the Child Jesus, and behind the altar, a wooden group represented Saint +Michael felling the dragon. + +The priest first read a condensed lesson of sacred history. Felicite +evoked Paradise, the Flood, the Tower of Babel, the blazing cities, +the dying nations, the shattered idols; and out of this she developed a +great respect for the Almighty and a great fear of His wrath. Then, when +she had listened to the Passion, she wept. Why had they crucified Him +who loved little children, nourished the people, made the blind see, and +who, out of humility, had wished to be born among the poor, in a stable? +The sowings, the harvests, the wine-presses, all those familiar things +which the Scriptures mention, formed a part of her life; the word of God +sanctified them; and she loved the lambs with increased tenderness for +the sake of the Lamb, and the doves because of the Holy Ghost. + +She found it hard, however, to think of the latter as a person, for was +it not a bird, a flame, and sometimes only a breath? Perhaps it is its +light that at night hovers over swamps, its breath that propels the +clouds, its voice that renders church-bells harmonious. And Felicite +worshipped devoutly, while enjoying the coolness and the stillness of +the church. + +As for the dogma, she could not understand it and did not even try. The +priest discoursed, the children recited, and she went to sleep, only to +awaken with a start when they were leaving the church and their wooden +shoes clattered on the stone pavement. + +In this way, she learned her catechism, her religious education having +been neglected in her youth; and thenceforth she imitated all Virginia’s +religious practices, fasted when she did, and went to confession with +her. At the Corpus-Christi Day they both decorated an altar. + +She worried in advance over Virginia’s first communion. She fussed about +the shoes, the rosary, the book and the gloves. With what nervousness +she helped the mother dress the child! + +During the entire ceremony, she felt anguished. Monsieur Bourais hid +part of the choir from view, but directly in front of her, the flock +of maidens, wearing white wreaths over their lowered veils, formed a +snow-white field, and she recognised her darling by the slenderness of +her neck and her devout attitude. The bell tinkled. All the heads bent +and there was a silence. Then, at the peals of the organ the singers +and the worshippers struck up the Agnes Dei; the boys’ procession began; +behind them came the girls. With clasped hands, they advanced step by +step to the lighted altar, knelt at the first step, received one by one +the Host, and returned to their seats in the same order. When Virginia’s +turn came, Felicite leaned forward to watch her, and through that +imagination which springs from true affection, she at once became the +child, whose face and dress became hers, whose heart beat in her bosom, +and when Virginia opened her mouth and closed her lids, she did likewise +and came very near fainting. + +The following day, she presented herself early at the church so as to +receive communion from the cure. She took it with the proper feeling, +but did not experience the same delight as on the previous day. + +Madame Aubain wished to make an accomplished girl of her daughter; and +as Guyot could not teach English or music, she decided to send her to +the Ursulines at Honfleur. + +The child made no objection, but Felicite sighed and thought Madame was +heartless. Then, she thought that perhaps her mistress was right, as +these things were beyond her sphere. Finally, one day, an old fiacre +stopped in front of the door and a nun stepped out. Felicite put +Virginia’s luggage on top of the carriage, gave the coachman some +instructions, and smuggled six jars of jam, a dozen pears and a bunch of +violets under the seat. + +At the last minute, Virginia had a fit of sobbing; she embraced her +mother again and again, while the latter kissed her on the forehead, and +said: “Now, be brave, be brave!” The step was pulled up and the fiacre +rumbled off. + +Then Madame Aubain had a fainting spell, and that evening all her +friends, including the two Lormeaus, Madame Lechaptois, the ladies +Rochefeuille, Messieurs de Houppeville and Bourais, called on her and +tendered their sympathy. + +At first the separation proved very painful to her. But her daughter +wrote her three times a week and the other days she, herself, wrote to +Virginia. Then she walked in the garden, read a little, and in this way +managed to fill out the emptiness of the hours. + +Each morning, out of habit, Felicite entered Virginia’s room and gazed +at the walls. She missed combing her hair, lacing her shoes, tucking her +in her bed, and the bright face and little hand when they used to go out +for a walk. In order to occupy herself she tried to make lace. But her +clumsy fingers broke the threads; she had no heart for anything, lost +her sleep and “wasted away,” as she put it. + +In order to have some distraction, she asked leave to receive the visits +of her nephew Victor. + +He would come on Sunday, after church, with ruddy cheeks and bared +chest, bringing with him the scent of the country. She would set the +table and they would sit down opposite each other, and eat their dinner; +she ate as little as possible, herself, to avoid any extra expense, but +would stuff him so with food that he would finally go to sleep. At the +first stroke of vespers, she would wake him up, brush his trousers, tie +his cravat and walk to church with him, leaning on his arm with maternal +pride. + +His parents always told him to get something out of her, either a +package of brown sugar, or soap, or brandy, and sometimes even money. +He brought her his clothes to mend, and she accepted the task gladly, +because it meant another visit from him. + +In August, his father took him on a coasting-vessel. + +It was vacation time and the arrival of the children consoled Felicite. +But Paul was capricious, and Virginia was growing too old to be +thee-and-thou’d, a fact which seemed to produce a sort of embarrassment +in their relations. + +Victor went successively to Morlaix, to Dunkirk, and to Brighton; +whenever he returned from a trip he would bring her a present. The first +time it was a box of shells; the second, a coffee-cup; the third, a big +doll of ginger-bread. He was growing handsome, had a good figure, a tiny +moustache, kind eyes, and a little leather cap that sat jauntily on the +back of his head. He amused his aunt by telling her stories mingled with +nautical expressions. + +One Monday, the 14th of July, 1819 (she never forgot the date), Victor +announced that he had been engaged on a merchant-vessel and that in two +days he would take the steamer at Honfleur and join his sailer, which +was going to start from Havre very soon. Perhaps he might be away two +years. + +The prospect of his departure filled Felicite with despair, and in order +to bid him farewell, on Wednesday night, after Madame’s dinner, she put +on her pattens and trudged the four miles that separated Pont-l’Eveque +from Honfleur. + +When she reached the Calvary, instead of turning to the right, she +turned to the left and lost herself in coal-yards; she had to retrace +her steps; some people she spoke to advised her to hasten. She walked +helplessly around the harbour filled with vessels, and knocked against +hawsers. Presently the ground sloped abruptly, lights flitted to and +fro, and she thought all at once that she had gone mad when she saw some +horses in the sky. + +Others, on the edge of the dock, neighed at the sight of the ocean. A +derrick pulled them up in the air, and dumped them into a boat, where +passengers were bustling about among barrels of cider, baskets of cheese +and bags of meal; chickens cackled, the captain swore and a cabin-boy +rested on the railing, apparently indifferent to his surroundings. +Felicite, who did not recognise him, kept shouting: “Victor!” He +suddenly raised his eyes, but while she was preparing to rush up to him, +they withdrew the gangplank. + +The packet, towed by singing women, glided out of the harbour. Her hull +squeaked and the heavy waves beat up against her sides. The sail had +turned and nobody was visible;--and on the ocean, silvered by the light +of the moon, the vessel formed a black spot that grew dimmer and dimmer, +and finally disappeared. + +When Felicite passed the Calvary again, she felt as if she must entrust +that which was dearest to her to the Lord; and for a long while she +prayed, with uplifted eyes and a face wet with tears. The city was +sleeping; some customs officials were taking the air; and the water kept +pouring through the holes of the dam with a deafening roar. The town +clock struck two. + +The parlour of the convent would not open until morning, and surely a +delay would annoy Madame, so, in spite of her desire to see the other +child, she went home. The maids of the inn were just arising when she +reached Pont-l’Eveque. + +So the poor boy would be on the ocean for months! His previous trips +had not alarmed her. One can come back from England and Brittany; but +America, the colonies, the islands, were all lost in an uncertain region +at the very end of the world. + +From that time on, Felicite thought solely of her nephew. On warm days +she feared he would suffer from thirst, and when it stormed, she was +afraid he would be struck by lightning. When she harkened to the wind +that rattled in the chimney and dislodged the tiles on the roof, she +imagined that he was being buffeted by the same storm, perched on top +of a shattered mast, with his whole body bend backward and covered with +sea-foam; or,--these were recollections of the engraved geography--he +was being devoured by savages, or captured in a forest by apes, or dying +on some lonely coast. She never mentioned her anxieties, however. + +Madame Aubain worried about her daughter. + +The sisters thought that Virginia was affectionate but delicate. The +slightest emotion enervated her. She had to give up her piano lessons. +Her mother insisted upon regular letters from the convent. One morning, +when the postman failed to come, she grew impatient and began to pace to +and fro, from her chair to the window. It was really extraordinary! No +news since four days! + +In order to console her mistress by her own example, Felicite said: + +“Why, Madame, I haven’t had any news since six months!--” + +“From whom?--” + +The servant replied gently: + +“Why--from my nephew.” + +“Oh, yes, your nephew!” And shrugging her shoulders, Madame Aubain +continued to pace the floor as if to say: “I did not think of +it.--Besides, I do not care, a cabin-boy, a pauper!--but my +daughter--what a difference! just think of it!--” + +Felicite, although she had been reared roughly, was very indignant. Then +she forgot about it. + +It appeared quite natural to her that one should lose one’s head about +Virginia. + +The two children were of equal importance; they were united in her heart +and their fate was to be the same. + +The chemist informed her that Victor’s vessel had reached Havana. He had +read the information in a newspaper. + +Felicite imagined that Havana was a place where people did nothing +but smoke, and that Victor walked around among negroes in a cloud of +tobacco. Could a person, in case of need, return by land? How far was +it from Pont-l’Eveque? In order to learn these things, she questioned +Monsieur Bourais. He reached for his map and began some explanations +concerning longitudes, and smiled with superiority at Felicite’s +bewilderment. At last, he took a pencil and pointed out an imperceptible +black point in the scallops of an oval blotch, adding: “There it is.” + She bent over the map; the maze of coloured lines hurt her eyes without +enlightening her; and when Bourais asked her what puzzled her, she +requested him to show her the house Victor lived in. Bourais threw +up his hands, sneezed, and then laughed uproariously; such ignorance +delighted his soul; but Felicite failed to understand the cause of his +mirth, she whose intelligence was so limited that she perhaps expected +to see even the picture of her nephew! + +It was two weeks later that Liebard came into the kitchen at +market-time, and handed her a letter from her brother-in-law. As neither +of them could read, she called upon her mistress. + +Madame Aubain, who was counting the stitches of her knitting, laid her +work down beside her, opened the letter, started, and in a low tone +and with a searching look said: “They tell you of a--misfortune. Your +nephew--” + +He had died. The letter told nothing more. + +Felicite dropped on a chair, leaned her head against the back, and +closed her lids; presently they grew pink. Then, with drooping head, +inert hands and staring eyes she repeated at intervals: + +“Poor little chap! poor little chap!” + +Liebard watched her and sighed. Madame Aubain was trembling. + +She proposed to the girl to go to see her sister in Trouville. + +With a single motion, Felicite replied that it was not necessary. + +There was a silence. Old Liebard thought it about time for him to take +leave. + +Then Felicite uttered: + +“They have no sympathy, they do not care!” + +Her head fell forward again, and from time to time, mechanically, she +toyed with the long knitting-needles on the work-table. + +Some women passed through the yard with a basket of wet clothes. + +When she saw them through the window, she suddenly remembered her own +wash; as she had soaked it the day before, she must go and rinse it now. +So she arose and left the room. + +Her tub and her board were on the bank of the Toucques. She threw a heap +of clothes on the ground, rolled up her sleeves and grasped her bat; +and her loud pounding could be heard in the neighbouring gardens. The +meadows were empty, the breeze wrinkled the stream, at the bottom of +which were long grasses that looked like the hair of corpses floating +in the water. She restrained her sorrow and was very brave until night; +but, when she had gone to her own room, she gave way to it, burying her +face in the pillow and pressing her two fists against her temples. + +A long while afterward, she learned through Victor’s captain, the +circumstances which surrounded his death. At the hospital they had bled +him too much, treating him for yellow fever. Four doctors held him at +one time. He died almost instantly, and the chief surgeon had said: + +“Here goes another one!” + +His parents had always treated him barbarously; she preferred not to see +them again, and they made no advances, either from forgetfulness or out +of innate hardness. + +Virginia was growing weaker. + +A cough, continual fever, oppressive breathing and spots on her cheeks +indicated some serious trouble. Monsieur Popart had advised a sojourn in +Provence. Madame Aubain decided that they would go, and she would have +had her daughter come home at once, had it not been for the climate of +Pont-l’Eveque. + +She made an arrangement with a livery-stable man who drove her over to +the convent every Tuesday. In the garden there was a terrace, from which +the view extends to the Seine. Virginia walked in it, leaning on her +mother’s arm and treading the dead vine leaves. Sometimes the sun, +shining through the clouds, made her blink her lids, when she gazed at +the sails in the distance, and let her eyes roam over the horizon from +the chateau of Tancarville to the lighthouses of Havre. Then they rested +on the arbour. Her mother had bought a little cask of fine Malaga wine, +and Virginia, laughing at the idea of becoming intoxicated, would drink +a few drops of it, but never more. + +Her strength returned. Autumn passed. Felicite began to reassure Madame +Aubain. But, one evening, when she returned home after an errand, she +met M. Boupart’s coach in front of the door; M. Boupart himself was +standing in the vestibule and Madame Aubain was tying the strings of her +bonnet. “Give me my foot-warmer, my purse and my gloves; and be quick +about it,” she said. + +Virginia had congestion of the lungs; perhaps it was desperate. + +“Not yet,” said the physician, and both got into the carriage, while the +snow fell in thick flakes. It was almost night and very cold. + +Felicite rushed to the church to light a candle. Then she ran after the +coach which she overtook after an hour’s chase, sprang up behind and +held on to the straps. But suddenly a thought crossed her mind: “The +yard had been left open; supposing that burglars got in!” And down she +jumped. + +The next morning, at daybreak, she called at the doctor’s. He had been +home, but had left again. Then she waited at the inn, thinking that +strangers might bring her a letter. At last, at daylight she took the +diligence for Lisieux. + +The convent was at the end of a steep and narrow street. When she +arrived about at the middle of it, she heard strange noises, a funeral +knell. “It must be for some one else,” thought she; and she pulled the +knocker violently. + +After several minutes had elapsed, she heard footsteps, the door +was half opened and a nun appeared. The good sister, with an air of +compunction, told her that “she had just passed away.” And at the same +time the tolling of Saint-Leonard’s increased. + +Felicite reached the second floor. Already at the threshold, she caught +sight of Virginia lying on her back, with clasped hands, her mouth open +and her head thrown back, beneath a black crucifix inclined toward her, +and stiff curtains which were less white than her face. Madame Aubain +lay at the foot of the couch, clasping it with her arms and uttering +groans of agony. The Mother Superior was standing on the right side of +the bed. The three candles on the bureau made red blurs, and the windows +were dimmed by the fog outside. The nuns carried Madame Aubain from the +room. + +For two nights, Felicite never left the corpse. She would repeat the +same prayers, sprinkle holy water over the sheets, get up, come back +to the bed and contemplate the body. At the end of the first vigil, she +noticed that the face had taken on a yellow tinge, the lips grew blue, +the nose grew pinched, the eyes were sunken. She kissed them several +times and would not have been greatly astonished had Virginia opened +them; to souls like this the supernatural is always quite simple. She +washed her, wrapped her in a shroud, put her into the casket, laid a +wreath of flowers on her head and arranged her curls. They were blond +and of an extraordinary length for her age. Felicite cut off a big lock +and put half of it into her bosom, resolving never to part with it. + +The body was taken to Pont-l’Eveque, according to Madame Aubain’s +wishes; she followed the hearse in a closed carriage. + +After the ceremony it took three quarters of an hour to reach the +cemetery. Paul, sobbing, headed the procession; Monsieur Bourais +followed, and then came the principal inhabitants of the town, the women +covered with black capes, and Felicite. The memory of her nephew, and +the thought that she had not been able to render him these honours, +made her doubly unhappy, and she felt as if he were being buried with +Virginia. + +Madame Aubain’s grief was uncontrollable. At first she rebelled against +God, thinking that he was unjust to have taken away her child--she who +had never done anything wrong, and whose conscience was so pure! But no! +she ought to have taken her South. Other doctors would have saved her. +She accused herself, prayed to be able to join her child, and cried in +the midst of her dreams. Of the latter, one more especially haunted her. +Her husband, dressed like a sailor, had come back from a long voyage, +and with tears in his eyes told her that he had received the order to +take Virginia away. Then they both consulted about a hiding-place. + +Once she came in from the garden, all upset. A moment before (and she +showed the place), the father and daughter had appeared to her, one +after the other; they did nothing but look at her. + +During several months she remained inert in her room. Felicite scolded +her gently; she must keep up for her son and also for the other one, for +“her memory.” + +“Her memory!” replied Madame Aubain, as if she were just awakening, “Oh! +yes, yes, you do not forget her!” This was an allusion to the cemetery +where she had been expressly forbidden to go. + +But Felicite went there every day. At four o’clock exactly, she would go +through the town, climb the hill, open the gate and arrive at Virginia’s +tomb. It was a small column of pink marble with a flat stone at its +base, and it was surrounded by a little plot enclosed by chains. The +flower-beds were bright with blossoms. Felicite watered their leaves, +renewed the gravel, and knelt on the ground in order to till the earth +properly. When Madame Aubain was able to visit the cemetery she felt +very much relieved and consoled. + +Years passed, all alike and marked by no other events than the return +of the great church holidays: Easter, Assumption, All Saints’ Day. +Household happenings constituted the only data to which in later years +they often referred. Thus, in 1825, workmen painted the vestibule; in +1827, a portion of the roof almost killed a man by falling into the +yard. In the summer of 1828, it was Madame’s turn to offer the hallowed +bread; at that time, Bourais disappeared mysteriously; and the +old acquaintances, Guyot, Liebard, Madame Lechaptois, Robelin, old +Gremanville, paralysed since a long time, passed away one by one. One +night, the driver of the mail in Pont-l’Eveque announced the Revolution +of July. A few days afterward a new sub-prefect was nominated, the Baron +de Larsonniere, ex-consul in America, who, besides his wife, had his +sister-in-law and her three grown daughters with him. They were often +seen on their lawn, dressed in loose blouses, and they had a parrot +and a negro servant. Madame Aubain received a call, which she returned +promptly. As soon as she caught sight of them, Felicite would run and +notify her mistress. But only one thing was capable of arousing her: a +letter from her son. + +He could not follow any profession as he was absorbed in drinking. His +mother paid his debts and he made fresh ones; and the sighs that she +heaved while she knitted at the window reached the ears of Felicite who +was spinning in the kitchen. + +They walked in the garden together, always speaking of Virginia, and +asking each other if such and such a thing would have pleased her, and +what she would probably have said on this or that occasion. + +All her little belongings were put away in a closet of the room which +held the two little beds. But Madame Aubain looked them over as little +as possible. One summer day, however, she resigned herself to the task +and when she opened the closet the moths flew out. + +Virginia’s frocks were hung under a shelf where there were three dolls, +some hoops, a doll-house, and a basic which she had used. Felicite +and Madame Aubain also took out the skirts, the handkerchiefs, and the +stockings and spread them on the beds, before putting them away again. +The sun fell on the piteous things, disclosing their spots and the +creases formed by the motions of the body. The atmosphere was warm and +blue, and a blackbird trilled in the garden; everything seemed to live +in happiness. They found a little hat of soft brown plush, but it was +entirely moth-eaten. Felicite asked for it. Their eyes met and filled +with tears; at last the mistress opened her arms and the servant threw +herself against her breast and they hugged each other and giving vent to +their grief in a kiss which equalised them for a moment. + +It was the first time that this had ever happened, for Madame Aubain was +not of an expansive nature. Felicite was as grateful for it as if it had +been some favour, and thenceforth loved her with animal-like devotion +and a religious veneration. + +Her kind-heartedness developed. When she heard the drums of a marching +regiment passing through the street, she would stand in the doorway +with a jug of cider and give the soldiers a drink. She nursed cholera +victims. She protected Polish refugees, and one of them even declared +that he wished to marry her. But they quarrelled, for one morning when +she returned from the Angelus she found him in the kitchen coolly eating +a dish which he had prepared for himself during her absence. + +After the Polish refugees, came Colmiche, an old man who was credited +with having committed frightful misdeeds in ‘93. He lived near the river +in the ruins of a pig-sty. The urchins peeped at him through the cracks +in the walls and threw stones that fell on his miserable bed, where he +lay gasping with catarrh, with long hair, inflamed eyelids, and a tumour +as big as his head on one arm. + +She got him some linen, tried to clean his hovel and dreamed of +installing him in the bake-house without his being in Madame’s way. When +the cancer broke, she dressed it every day; sometimes she brought him +some cake and placed him in the sun on a bundle of hay; and the poor old +creature, trembling and drooling, would thank her in his broken voice, +and put out his hands whenever she left him. Finally he died; and she +had a mass said for the repose of his soul. + +That day a great joy came to her: at dinner-time, Madame de +Larsonniere’s servant called with the parrot, the cage, and the perch +and chain and lock. A note from the baroness told Madame Aubain that as +her husband had been promoted to a prefecture, they were leaving that +night, and she begged her to accept the bird as a remembrance and a +token of her esteem. + +Since a long time the parrot had been on Felicite’s mind, because he +came from America, which reminded her of Victor, and she had approached +the negro on the subject. + +Once even, she had said: + +“How glad Madame would be to have him!” + +The man had repeated this remark to his mistress who, not being able to +keep the bird, took this means of getting rid of it. + + + + +CHAPTER IV + +He was called Loulou. His body was green, his head blue, the tips of his +wings were pink and his breast was golden. + +But he had the tiresome tricks of biting his perch, pulling his feathers +out, scattering refuse and spilling the water of his bath. Madame Aubain +grew tired of him and gave him to Felicite for good. + +She undertook his education, and soon he was able to repeat: “Pretty +boy! Your servant, sir! I salute you, Marie!” His perch was placed near +the door and several persons were astonished that he did not answer to +the name of “Jacquot,” for every parrot is called Jacquot. They called +him a goose and a log, and these taunts were like so many dagger thrusts +to Felicite. Strange stubbornness of the bird which would not talk when +people watched him! + +Nevertheless, he sought society; for on Sunday, when the ladies +Rochefeuille, Monsieur de Houppeville and the new habitues, Onfroy, the +chemist, Monsieur Varin and Captain Mathieu, dropped in for their game +of cards, he struck the window-panes with his wings and made such a +racket that it was impossible to talk. + +Bourais’ face must have appeared very funny to Loulou. As soon as he +saw him he would begin to roar. His voice re-echoed in the yard, and +the neighbours would come to the windows and begin to laugh, too; and +in order that the parrot might not see him, Monsieur Bourais edged along +the wall, pushed his hat over his eyes to hide his profile, and entered +by the garden door, and the looks he gave the bird lacked affection. +Loulou, having thrust his head into the butcher-boy’s basket, received +a slap, and from that time he always tried to nip his enemy. Fabu +threatened to ring his neck, although he was not cruelly inclined, +notwithstanding his big whiskers and tattooings. On the contrary, he +rather liked the bird, and, out of devilry, tried to teach him oaths. +Felicite, whom his manner alarmed, put Loulou in the kitchen, took off +his chain and let him walk all over the house. + +When he went downstairs, he rested his beak on the steps, lifted his +right foot and then his left one; but his mistress feared that such +feats would give him vertigo. He became ill and was unable to eat. There +was a small growth under his tongue like those chickens are sometimes +afflicted with. Felicite pulled it off with her nails and cured him. +One day, Paul was imprudent enough to blow the smoke of his cigar in his +face; another time, Madame Lormeau was teasing him with the tip of her +umbrella and he swallowed the tip. Finally he got lost. + +She had put him on the grass to cool him and went away only for a +second; when she returned, she found no parrot! She hunted among the +bushes, on the bank of the river, and on the roofs, without paying any +attention to Madame Aubain who screamed at her: “Take care! you must be +insane!” Then she searched every garden in Pont-l’Eveque and stopped the +passers-by to inquire of them: “Haven’t you perhaps seen my parrot?” + To those who had never seen the parrot, she described him minutely. +Suddenly she thought she saw something green fluttering behind the mills +at the foot of the hill. But when she was at the top of the hill she +could not see it. A hod-carrier told her that he had just seen the bird +in Saint-Melaine, in Mother Simon’s store. She rushed to the place. The +people did not know what she was talking about. At last she came home, +exhausted, with her slippers worn to shreds, and despair in her heart. +She sat down on the bench near Madame and was telling of her search when +presently a light weight dropped on her shoulder--Loulou! What the deuce +had he been doing? Perhaps he had just taken a little walk around the +town! + +She did not easily forget her scare; in fact, she never got over it. In +consequence of a cold, she caught a sore throat; and some time later +she had an earache. Three years later she was stone deaf, and spoke in +a very loud voice even in church. Although her sins might have been +proclaimed throughout the diocese without any shame to herself, or ill +effects to the community, the cure thought it advisable to receive her +confession in the vestry-room. + +Imaginary buzzings also added to her bewilderment. Her mistress often +said to her: “My goodness, how stupid you are!” and she would answer: +“Yes, Madame,” and look for something. + +The narrow circle of her ideas grew more restricted than it already was; +the bellowing of the oxen, the chime of the bells no longer reached her +intelligence. All things moved silently, like ghosts. Only one noise +penetrated her ears; the parrot’s voice. + +As if to divert her mind, he reproduced for her the tick-tack of the +spit in the kitchen, the shrill cry of the fish-vendors, the saw of the +carpenter who had a shop opposite, and when the door-bell rang, he would +imitate Madame Aubain: “Felicite! go to the front door.” + +They held conversations together, Loulou repeating the three phrases +of his repertory over and over, Felicite replying by words that had +no greater meaning, but in which she poured out her feelings. In her +isolation, the parrot was almost a son, a love. He climbed upon her +fingers, pecked at her lips, clung to her shawl, and when she rocked her +head to and fro like a nurse, the big wings of her cap and the wings of +the bird flapped in unison. When clouds gathered on the horizon and the +thunder rumbled, Loulou would scream, perhaps because he remembered the +storms in his native forests. The dripping of the rain would excite him +to frenzy; he flapped around, struck the ceiling with his wings, upset +everything, and would finally fly into the garden to play. Then he would +come back into the room, light on one of the andirons, and hop around in +order to get dry. + +One morning during the terrible winter of 1837, when she had put him in +front of the fire-place on account of the cold, she found him dead in +his cage, hanging to the wire bars with his head down. He had probably +died of congestion. But she believed that he had been poisoned, and +although she had no proofs whatever, her suspicion rested on Fabu. + +She wept so sorely that her mistress said: “Why don’t you have him +stuffed?” + +She asked the advice of the chemist, who had always been kind to the +bird. + +He wrote to Havre for her. A certain man named Fellacher consented to do +the work. But, as the diligence driver often lost parcels entrusted to +him, Felicite resolved to take her pet to Honfleur herself. + +Leafless apple-trees lined the edges of the road. The ditches were +covered with ice. The dogs on the neighbouring farms barked; and +Felicite, with her hands beneath her cape, her little black sabots and +her basket, trotted along nimbly in the middle of the sidewalk. She +crossed the forest, passed by the Haut-Chene, and reached Saint-Gatien. + +Behind her, in a cloud of dust and impelled by the steep incline, a +mail-coach drawn by galloping horses advanced like a whirlwind. When he +saw a woman in the middle of the road, who did not get out of the +way, the driver stood up in his seat and shouted to her and so did +the postilion, while the four horses, which he could not hold back, +accelerated their pace; the two leaders were almost upon her; with +a jerk of the reins he threw them to one side, but, furious at the +incident, he lifted his big whip and lashed her from her head to her +feet with such violence that she fell to the ground unconscious. + +Her first thought, when she recovered her senses, was to open the +basket. Loulou was unharmed. She felt a sting on her right cheek; when +she took her hand away it was red, for the blood was flowing. + +She sat down on a pile of stones, and sopped her cheek with her +handkerchief; then she ate a crust of bread she had put in her basket, +and consoled herself by looking at the bird. + +Arriving at the top of Ecquemanville, she saw the lights of Honfleur +shining in the distance like so many stars; further on, the ocean spread +out in a confused mass. Then a weakness came over her; the misery of her +childhood, the disappointment of her first love, the departure of her +nephew, the death of Virginia; all these things came back to her at +once, and, rising like a swelling tide in her throat, almost choked her. + +Then she wished to speak to the captain of the vessel, and without +stating what she was sending, she gave him some instructions. + +Fellacher kept the parrot a long time. He always promised that it would +be ready for the following week; after six months he announced the +shipment of a case, and that was the end of it. Really, it seemed as +if Loulou would never come back to his home. “They have stolen him,” + thought Felicite. + +Finally he arrived, sitting bold upright on a branch which could be +screwed into a mahogany pedestal, with his foot in the air, his head on +one side, and in his beak a nut which the naturalist, from love of the +sumptuous, had gilded. She put him in her room. + +This place, to which only a chosen few were admitted, looked like a +chapel and a second-hand shop, so filled was it with devotional and +heterogeneous things. The door could not be opened easily on account of +the presence of a large wardrobe. Opposite the window that looked out +into the garden, a bull’s-eye opened on the yard; a table was placed by +the cot and held a wash-basin, two combs, and a piece of blue soap in +a broken saucer. On the walls were rosaries, medals, a number of Holy +Virgins, and a holy-water basin made out of a cocoanut; on the bureau, +which was covered with a napkin like an altar, stood the box of +shells that Victor had given her; also a watering-can and a balloon, +writing-books, the engraved geography and a pair of shoes; on the +nail which held the mirror, hung Virginia’s little plush hat! Felicite +carried this sort of respect so far that she even kept one of Monsieur’s +old coats. All the things which Madame Aubain discarded, Felicite begged +for her own room. Thus, she had artificial flowers on the edge of the +bureau, and the picture of the Comte d’Artois in the recess of the +window. By means of a board, Loulou was set on a portion of the chimney +which advanced into the room. Every morning when she awoke, she saw +him in the dim light of dawn and recalled bygone days and the smallest +details of insignificant actions, without any sense of bitterness or +grief. + +As she was unable to communicate with people, she lived in a sort of +somnambulistic torpor. The processions of Corpus-Christi Day seemed to +wake her up. She visited the neighbours to beg for candlesticks and mats +so as to adorn the temporary altars in the street. + +In church, she always gazed at the Holy Ghost, and noticed that there +was something about it that resembled a parrot. The likenesses appeared +even more striking on a coloured picture by Espinal, representing the +baptism of our Saviour. With his scarlet wings and emerald body, it was +really the image of Loulou. Having bought the picture, she hung it near +the one of the Comte d’Artois so that she could take them in at one +glance. + +They associated in her mind, the parrot becoming sanctified through the +neighbourhood of the Holy Ghost, and the latter becoming more lifelike +in her eyes, and more comprehensible. In all probability the Father had +never chosen as messenger a dove, as the latter has no voice, but rather +one of Loulou’s ancestors. And Felicite said her prayers in front of the +coloured picture, though from time to time she turned slightly towards +the bird. + +She desired very much to enter in the ranks of the “Daughters of the +Virgin.” But Madame Aubain dissuaded her from it. + +A most important event occurred: Paul’s marriage. + +After being first a notary’s clerk, then in business, then in the +customs, and a tax collector, and having even applied for a position +in the administration of woods and forests, he had at last, when he +was thirty-six years old, by a divine inspiration, found his vocation: +registrature! and he displayed such a high ability that an inspector had +offered him his daughter and his influence. + +Paul, who had become quite settled, brought his bride to visit his +mother. + +But she looked down upon the customs of Pont-l’Eveque, put on airs, and +hurt Felicite’s feelings. Madame Aubain felt relieved when she left. + +The following week they learned of Monsieur Bourais’ death in an inn. +There were rumours of suicide, which were confirmed; doubts concerning +his integrity arose. Madame Aubain looked over her accounts and soon +discovered his numerous embezzlements; sales of wood which had been +concealed from her, false receipts, etc. Furthermore, he had an +illegitimate child, and entertained a friendship for “a person in +Dozule.” + +These base actions affected her very much. In March, 1853, she developed +a pain in her chest; her tongue looked as if it were coated with smoke, +and the leeches they applied did not relieve her oppression; and on the +ninth evening she died, being just seventy-two years old. + +People thought that she was younger, because her hair, which she wore in +bands framing her pale face, was brown. Few friends regretted her loss, +for her manner was so haughty that she did not attract them. Felicite +mourned for her as servants seldom mourn for their masters. The fact +that Madame should die before herself perplexed her mind and seemed +contrary to the order of things, and absolutely monstrous and +inadmissible. Ten days later (the time to journey from Besancon), the +heirs arrived. Her daughter-in-law ransacked the drawers, kept some of +the furniture, and sold the rest; then they went back to their own home. + +Madame’s armchair, foot-warmer, work-table, the eight chairs, everything +was gone! The places occupied by the pictures formed yellow squares on +the walls. They had taken the two little beds, and the wardrobe had been +emptied of Virginia’s belongings! Felicite went upstairs, overcome with +grief. + +The following day a sign was posted on the door; the chemist screamed in +her ear that the house was for sale. + +For a moment she tottered, and had to sit down. + +What hurt her most was to give up her room,--so nice for poor Loulou! +She looked at him in despair and implored the Holy Ghost, and it was +this way that she contracted the idolatrous habit of saying her prayers +kneeling in front of the bird. Sometimes the sun fell through the window +on his glass eye, and lighted a spark in it which sent Felicite into +ecstasy. + +Her mistress had left her an income of three hundred and eighty francs. +The garden supplied her with vegetables. As for clothes, she had enough +to last her till the end of her days, and she economised on the light by +going to bed at dusk. + +She rarely went out, in order to avoid passing in front of the +second-hand dealer’s shop where there was some of the old furniture. +Since her fainting spell, she dragged her leg, and as her strength was +failing rapidly, old Mother Simon, who had lost her money in the grocery +business, came very morning to chop the wood and pump the water. + +Her eyesight grew dim. She did not open the shutters after that. Many +years passed. But the house did not sell or rent. Fearing that she would +be put out, Felicite did not ask for repairs. The laths of the roof were +rotting away, and during one whole winter her bolster was wet. After +Easter she spit blood. + +Then Mother Simon went for a doctor. Felicite wished to know what her +complaint was. But, being too deaf to hear, she caught only one word: +“Pneumonia.” She was familiar with it and gently answered:--“Ah! like +Madame,” thinking it quite natural that she should follow her mistress. + +The time for the altars in the street drew near. + +The first one was always erected at the foot of the hill, the second +in front of the post-office, and the third in the middle of the street. +This position occasioned some rivalry among the women and they finally +decided upon Madame Aubain’s yard. + +Felicite’s fever grew worse. She was sorry that she could not do +anything for the altar. If she could, at least, have contributed +something towards it! Then she thought of the parrot. Her neighbours +objected that it would not be proper. But the cure gave his consent +and she was so grateful for it that she begged him to accept after her +death, her only treasure, Loulou. From Tuesday until Saturday, the day +before the event, she coughed more frequently. In the evening her face +was contracted, her lips stuck to her gums and she began to vomit; and +on the following day, she felt so low that she called for a priest. + +Three neighbours surrounded her when the dominie administered the +Extreme Unction. Afterwards she said that she wished to speak to Fabu. + +He arrived in his Sunday clothes, very ill at ease among the funereal +surroundings. + +“Forgive me,” she said, making an effort to extend her arm, “I believed +it was you who killed him!” + +What did such accusations mean? Suspect a man like him of murder! And +Fabu became excited and was about to make trouble. + +“Don’t you see she is not in her right mind?” + +From time to time Felicite spoke to shadows. The women left her and +Mother Simon sat down to breakfast. + +A little later, she took Loulou and holding him up to Felicite: + +“Say good-bye to him, now!” she commanded. + +Although he was not a corpse, he was eaten up by worms; one of his wings +was broken and the wadding was coming out of his body. But Felicite was +blind now, and she took him and laid him against her cheek. Then Mother +Simon removed him in order to set him on the altar. + + + + +CHAPTER V + +The grass exhaled an odour of summer; flies buzzed in the air, the sun +shone on the river and warmed the slated roof. Old Mother Simon had +returned to Felicite and was peacefully falling asleep. + +The ringing of bells woke her; the people were coming out of church. +Felicite’s delirium subsided. By thinking of the procession, she was +able to see it as if she had taken part in it. All the school-children, +the singers and the firemen walked on the sidewalks, while in the middle +of the street came first the custodian of the church with his halberd, +then the beadle with a large cross, the teacher in charge of the boys +and a sister escorting the little girls; three of the smallest ones, +with curly heads, threw rose leaves into the air; the deacon with +outstretched arms conducted the music; and two incense-bearers turned +with each step they took toward the Holy Sacrament, which was carried by +M. le Cure, attired in his handsome chasuble and walking under a canopy +of red velvet supported by four men. A crowd of people followed, jammed +between the walls of the houses hung with white sheets; at last the +procession arrived at the foot of the hill. + +A cold sweat broke out on Felicite’s forehead. Mother Simon wiped it +away with a cloth, saying inwardly that some day she would have to go +through the same thing herself. + +The murmur of the crowd grew louder, was very distinct for a moment and +then died away. A volley of musketry shook the window-panes. It was the +postilions saluting the Sacrament. Felicite rolled her eyes, and said as +loudly as she could: + +“Is he all right?” meaning the parrot. + +Her death agony began. A rattle that grew more and more rapid shook her +body. Froth appeared at the corners of her mouth, and her whole frame +trembled. In a little while could be heard the music of the bass +horns, the clear voices of the children and the men’s deeper notes. At +intervals all was still, and their shoes sounded like a herd of cattle +passing over the grass. + +The clergy appeared in the yard. Mother Simon climbed on a chair to +reach the bull’s-eye, and in this manner could see the altar. It was +covered with a lace cloth and draped with green wreaths. In the middle +stood a little frame containing relics; at the corners were two little +orange-trees, and all along the edge were silver candlesticks, porcelain +vases containing sun-flowers, lilies, peonies, and tufts of hydrangeas. +This mount of bright colours descended diagonally from the first floor +to the carpet that covered the sidewalk. Rare objects arrested one’s +eye. A golden sugar-bowl was crowned with violets, earrings set with +Alencon stones were displayed on green moss, and two Chinese screens +with their bright landscapes were near by. Loulou, hidden beneath +roses, showed nothing but his blue head which looked like a piece of +lapis-lazuli. + +The singers, the canopy-bearers and the children lined up against the +sides of the yard. Slowly the priest ascended the steps and placed his +shining sun on the lace cloth. Everybody knelt. There was deep silence; +and the censers slipping on their chains were swung high in the air. A +blue vapour rose in Felicite’s room. She opened her nostrils and inhaled +with a mystic sensuousness; then she closed her lids. Her lips smiled. +The beats of her heart grew fainter and fainter, and vaguer, like a +fountain giving out, like an echo dying away;--and when she exhaled her +last breath, she thought she saw in the half-opened heavens a gigantic +parrot hovering above her head. + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of A Simple Soul, by Gustave Flaubert + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK A SIMPLE SOUL *** + +***** This file should be named 1253-0.txt or 1253-0.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + http://www.gutenberg.org/1/2/5/1253/ + +Produced by Dagny, John Bickers and David Widger + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. 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You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: A Simple Soul + +Author: Gustave Flaubert + +Release Date: February 18, 2006 [EBook #1253] +Last Updated: September 14, 2016 + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: UTF-8 + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK A SIMPLE SOUL *** + + + + +Produced by Dagny, John Bickers and David Widger + + + + + +</pre> + + <p> + <br /> <br /> + </p> + <h1> + A SIMPLE SOUL + </h1> + <h2> + By Gustave Flaubert + </h2> + <p> + <br /> <br /> + </p> + <hr /> + <p> + <br /> <br /> + </p> + <h2> + Contents + </h2> + <table summary="" style="margin-right: auto; margin-left: auto"> + <tr> + <td> + <p class="toc"> + <a href="#link2HCH0001"> CHAPTER I </a> + </p> + <p class="toc"> + <a href="#link2HCH0002"> CHAPTER II </a> + </p> + <p class="toc"> + <a href="#link2HCH0003"> CHAPTER III </a> + </p> + <p class="toc"> + <a href="#link2HCH0004"> CHAPTER IV </a> + </p> + <p class="toc"> + <a href="#link2HCH0005"> CHAPTER V </a> + </p> + </td> + </tr> + </table> + <p> + <br /> <br /> + </p> + <hr /> + <p> + <br /> <br /> <a name="link2HCH0001" id="link2HCH0001"> + <!-- H2 anchor --> </a> + </p> + <div style="height: 4em;"> + <br /><br /><br /><br /> + </div> + <h2> + CHAPTER I + </h2> + <p> + For half a century the housewives of Pont-l’Eveque had envied Madame + Aubain her servant Felicite. + </p> + <p> + For a hundred francs a year, she cooked and did the housework, washed, + ironed, mended, harnessed the horse, fattened the poultry, made the butter + and remained faithful to her mistress—although the latter was by no + means an agreeable person. + </p> + <p> + Madame Aubain had married a comely youth without any money, who died in + the beginning of 1809, leaving her with two young children and a number of + debts. She sold all her property excepting the farm of Toucques and the + farm of Geffosses, the income of which barely amounted to 5,000 francs; + then she left her house in Saint-Melaine, and moved into a less + pretentious one which had belonged to her ancestors and stood back of the + market-place. This house, with its slate-covered roof, was built between a + passage-way and a narrow street that led to the river. The interior was so + unevenly graded that it caused people to stumble. A narrow hall separated + the kitchen from the parlour, where Madame Aubain sat all day in a straw + armchair near the window. Eight mahogany chairs stood in a row against the + white wainscoting. An old piano, standing beneath a barometer, was covered + with a pyramid of old books and boxes. On either side of the yellow marble + mantelpiece, in Louis XV. style, stood a tapestry armchair. The clock + represented a temple of Vesta; and the whole room smelled musty, as it was + on a lower level than the garden. + </p> + <p> + On the first floor was Madame’s bed-chamber, a large room papered in a + flowered design and containing the portrait of Monsieur dressed in the + costume of a dandy. It communicated with a smaller room, in which there + were two little cribs, without any mattresses. Next, came the parlour + (always closed), filled with furniture covered with sheets. Then a hall, + which led to the study, where books and papers were piled on the shelves + of a book-case that enclosed three quarters of the big black desk. Two + panels were entirely hidden under pen-and-ink sketches, Gouache landscapes + and Audran engravings, relics of better times and vanished luxury. On the + second floor, a garret-window lighted Felicite’s room, which looked out + upon the meadows. + </p> + <p> + She arose at daybreak, in order to attend mass, and she worked without + interruption until night; then, when dinner was over, the dishes cleared + away and the door securely locked, she would bury the log under the ashes + and fall asleep in front of the hearth with a rosary in her hand. Nobody + could bargain with greater obstinacy, and as for cleanliness, the lustre + on her brass sauce-pans was the envy and despair of other servants. She + was most economical, and when she ate she would gather up crumbs with the + tip of her finger, so that nothing should be wasted of the loaf of bread + weighing twelve pounds which was baked especially for her and lasted three + weeks. + </p> + <p> + Summer and winter she wore a dimity kerchief fastened in the back with a + pin, a cap which concealed her hair, a red skirt, grey stockings, and an + apron with a bib like those worn by hospital nurses. + </p> + <p> + Her face was thin and her voice shrill. When she was twenty-five, she + looked forty. After she had passed fifty, nobody could tell her age; erect + and silent always, she resembled a wooden figure working automatically. + </p> + <p> + <a name="link2HCH0002" id="link2HCH0002"> + <!-- H2 anchor --> </a> + </p> + <div style="height: 4em;"> + <br /><br /><br /><br /> + </div> + <h2> + CHAPTER II + </h2> + <p> + Like every other woman, she had had an affair of the heart. Her father, + who was a mason, was killed by falling from a scaffolding. Then her mother + died and her sisters went their different ways; a farmer took her in, and + while she was quite small, let her keep cows in the fields. She was clad + in miserable rags, beaten for the slightest offence and finally dismissed + for a theft of thirty sous which she did not commit. She took service on + another farm where she tended the poultry; and as she was well thought of + by her master, her fellow-workers soon grew jealous. + </p> + <p> + One evening in August (she was then eighteen years old), they persuaded + her to accompany them to the fair at Colleville. She was immediately + dazzled by the noise, the lights in the trees, the brightness of the + dresses, the laces and gold crosses, and the crowd of people all hopping + at the same time. She was standing modestly at a distance, when presently + a young man of well-to-do appearance, who had been leaning on the pole of + a wagon and smoking his pipe, approached her, and asked her for a dance. + He treated her to cider and cake, bought her a silk shawl, and then, + thinking she had guessed his purpose, offered to see her home. When they + came to the end of a field he threw her down brutally. But she grew + frightened and screamed, and he walked off. + </p> + <p> + One evening, on the road leading to Beaumont, she came upon a wagon loaded + with hay, and when she overtook it, she recognised Theodore. He greeted + her calmly, and asked her to forget what had happened between them, as it + “was all the fault of the drink.” + </p> + <p> + She did not know what to reply and wished to run away. + </p> + <p> + Presently he began to speak of the harvest and of the notables of the + village; his father had left Colleville and bought the farm of Les Ecots, + so that now they would be neighbours. “Ah!” she exclaimed. He then added + that his parents were looking around for a wife for him, but that he, + himself, was not so anxious and preferred to wait for a girl who suited + him. She hung her head. He then asked her whether she had ever thought of + marrying. She replied, smilingly, that it was wrong of him to make fun of + her. “Oh! no, I am in earnest,” he said, and put his left arm around her + waist while they sauntered along. The air was soft, the stars were bright, + and the huge load of hay oscillated in front of them, drawn by four horses + whose ponderous hoofs raised clouds of dust. Without a word from their + driver they turned to the right. He kissed her again and she went home. + The following week, Theodore obtained meetings. + </p> + <p> + They met in yards, behind walls or under isolated trees. She was not + ignorant, as girls of well-to-do families are—for the animals had + instructed her;—but her reason and her instinct of honour kept her + from falling. Her resistance exasperated Theodore’s love and so in order + to satisfy it (or perchance ingenuously), he offered to marry her. She + would not believe him at first, so he made solemn promises. But, in a + short time he mentioned a difficulty; the previous year, his parents had + purchased a substitute for him; but any day he might be drafted and the + prospect of serving in the army alarmed him greatly. To Felicite his + cowardice appeared a proof of his love for her, and her devotion to him + grew stronger. When she met him, he would torture her with his fears and + his entreaties. At last, he announced that he was going to the prefect + himself for information, and would let her know everything on the + following Sunday, between eleven o’clock and midnight. + </p> + <p> + When the time grew near, she ran to meet her lover. + </p> + <p> + But instead of Theodore, one of his friends was at the meeting-place. + </p> + <p> + He informed her that she would never see her sweetheart again; for, in + order to escape the conscription, he had married a rich old woman, Madame + Lehoussais, of Toucques. + </p> + <p> + The poor girl’s sorrow was frightful. She threw herself on the ground, she + cried and called on the Lord, and wandered around desolately until + sunrise. Then she went back to the farm, declared her intention of + leaving, and at the end of the month, after she had received her wages, + she packed all her belongings in a handkerchief and started for + Pont-l’Eveque. + </p> + <p> + In front of the inn, she met a woman wearing widow’s weeds, and upon + questioning her, learned that she was looking for a cook. The girl did not + know very much, but appeared so willing and so modest in her requirements, + that Madame Aubain finally said: + </p> + <p> + “Very well, I will give you a trial.” + </p> + <p> + And half an hour later Felicite was installed in her house. + </p> + <p> + At first she lived in a constant anxiety that was caused by “the style of + the household” and the memory of “Monsieur,” that hovered over everything. + Paul and Virginia, the one aged seven, and the other barely four, seemed + made of some precious material; she carried them pig-a-back, and was + greatly mortified when Madame Aubain forbade her to kiss them every other + minute. + </p> + <p> + But in spite of all this, she was happy. The comfort of her new + surroundings had obliterated her sadness. + </p> + <p> + Every Thursday, friends of Madame Aubain dropped in for a game of cards, + and it was Felicite’s duty to prepare the table and heat the foot-warmers. + They arrived at exactly eight o’clock and departed before eleven. + </p> + <p> + Every Monday morning, the dealer in second-hand goods, who lived under the + alley-way, spread out his wares on the sidewalk. Then the city would be + filled with a buzzing of voices in which the neighing of horses, the + bleating of lambs, the grunting of pigs, could be distinguished, mingled + with the sharp sound of wheels on the cobble-stones. About twelve o’clock, + when the market was in full swing, there appeared at the front door a + tall, middle-aged peasant, with a hooked nose and a cap on the back of his + head; it was Robelin, the farmer of Geffosses. Shortly afterwards came + Liebard, the farmer of Toucques, short, rotund and ruddy, wearing a grey + jacket and spurred boots. + </p> + <p> + Both men brought their landlady either chickens or cheese. Felicite would + invariably thwart their ruses and they held her in great respect. + </p> + <p> + At various times, Madame Aubain received a visit from the Marquis de + Gremanville, one of her uncles, who was ruined and lived at Falaise on the + remainder of his estates. He always came at dinner-time and brought an + ugly poodle with him, whose paws soiled their furniture. In spite of his + efforts to appear a man of breeding (he even went so far as to raise his + hat every time he said “My deceased father”), his habits got the better of + him, and he would fill his glass a little too often and relate broad + stories. Felicite would show him out very politely and say: “You have had + enough for this time, Monsieur de Gremanville! Hoping to see you again!” + and would close the door. + </p> + <p> + She opened it gladly for Monsieur Bourais, a retired lawyer. His bald head + and white cravat, the ruffling of his shirt, his flowing brown coat, the + manner in which he took snuff, his whole person, in fact, produced in her + the kind of awe which we feel when we see extraordinary persons. As he + managed Madame’s estates, he spent hours with her in Monsieur’s study; he + was in constant fear of being compromised, had a great regard for the + magistracy and some pretensions to learning. + </p> + <p> + In order to facilitate the children’s studies, he presented them with an + engraved geography which represented various scenes of the world; + cannibals with feather head-dresses, a gorilla kidnapping a young girl, + Arabs in the desert, a whale being harpooned, etc. + </p> + <p> + Paul explained the pictures to Felicite. And, in fact, this was her only + literary education. + </p> + <p> + The children’s studies were under the direction of a poor devil employed + at the town-hall, who sharpened his pocket-knife on his boots and was + famous for his penmanship. + </p> + <p> + When the weather was fine, they went to Geffosses. The house was built in + the centre of the sloping yard; and the sea looked like a grey spot in the + distance. Felicite would take slices of cold meat from the lunch basket + and they would sit down and eat in a room next to the dairy. This room was + all that remained of a cottage that had been torn down. The dilapidated + wall-paper trembled in the drafts. Madame Aubain, overwhelmed by + recollections, would hang her head, while the children were afraid to open + their mouths. Then, “Why don’t you go and play?” their mother would say; + and they would scamper off. + </p> + <p> + Paul would go to the old barn, catch birds, throw stones into the pond, or + pound the trunks of the trees with a stick till they resounded like drums. + Virginia would feed the rabbits and run to pick the wild flowers in the + fields, and her flying legs would disclose her little embroidered + pantalettes. One autumn evening, they struck out for home through the + meadows. The new moon illumined part of the sky and a mist hovered like a + veil over the sinuosities of the river. Oxen, lying in the pastures, gazed + mildly at the passing persons. In the third field, however, several of + them got up and surrounded them. “Don’t be afraid,” cried Felicite; and + murmuring a sort of lament she passed her hand over the back of the + nearest ox; he turned away and the others followed. But when they came to + the next pasture, they heard frightful bellowing. + </p> + <p> + It was a bull which was hidden from them by the fog. He advanced towards + the two women, and Madame Aubain prepared to flee for her life. “No, no! + not so fast,” warned Felicite. Still they hurried on, for they could hear + the noisy breathing of the bull behind them. His hoofs pounded the grass + like hammers, and presently he began to gallop! Felicite turned around and + threw patches of grass in his eyes. He hung his head, shook his horns and + bellowed with fury. Madame Aubain and the children, huddled at the end of + the field, were trying to jump over the ditch. Felicite continued to back + before the bull, blinding him with dirt, while she shouted to them to make + haste. + </p> + <p> + Madame Aubain finally slid into the ditch, after shoving first Virginia + and then Paul into it, and though she stumbled several times she managed, + by dint of courage, to climb the other side of it. + </p> + <p> + The bull had driven Felicite up against a fence; the foam from his muzzle + flew in her face and in another minute he would have disembowelled her. + She had just time to slip between two bars and the huge animal, thwarted, + paused. + </p> + <p> + For years, this occurrence was a topic of conversation in Pont-l’Eveque. + But Felicite took no credit to herself, and probably never knew that she + had been heroic. + </p> + <p> + Virginia occupied her thoughts solely, for the shock she had sustained + gave her a nervous affection, and the physician, M. Poupart, prescribed + the salt-water bathing at Trouville. In those days, Trouville was not + greatly patronised. Madame Aubain gathered information, consulted Bourais, + and made preparations as if they were going on an extended trip. + </p> + <p> + The baggage was sent the day before on Liebard’s cart. On the following + morning, he brought around two horses, one of which had a woman’s saddle + with a velveteen back to it, while on the crupper of the other was a + rolled shawl that was to be used for a seat. Madame Aubain mounted the + second horse, behind Liebard. Felicite took charge of the little girl, and + Paul rode M. Lechaptois’ donkey, which had been lent for the occasion on + the condition that they should be careful of it. + </p> + <p> + The road was so bad that it took two hours to cover the eight miles. The + two horses sank knee-deep into the mud and stumbled into ditches; + sometimes they had to jump over them. In certain places, Liebard’s mare + stopped abruptly. He waited patiently till she started again, and talked + of the people whose estates bordered the road, adding his own moral + reflections to the outline of their histories. Thus, when they were + passing through Toucques, and came to some windows draped with + nasturtiums, he shrugged his shoulders and said: “There’s a woman, Madame + Lehoussais, who, instead of taking a young man—” Felicite could not + catch what followed; the horses began to trot, the donkey to gallop, and + they turned into a lane; then a gate swung open, two farm-hands appeared + and they all dismounted at the very threshold of the farm-house. + </p> + <p> + Mother Liebard, when she caught sight of her mistress, was lavish with + joyful demonstrations. She got up a lunch which comprised a leg of mutton, + tripe, sausages, a chicken fricassee, sweet cider, a fruit tart and some + preserved prunes; then to all this the good woman added polite remarks + about Madame, who appeared to be in better health, Mademoiselle, who had + grown to be “superb,” and Paul, who had become singularly sturdy; she + spoke also of their deceased grandparents, whom the Liebards had known, + for they had been in the service of the family for several generations. + </p> + <p> + Like its owners, the farm had an ancient appearance. The beams of the + ceiling were mouldy, the walls black with smoke and the windows grey with + dust. The oak sideboard was filled with all sorts of utensils, plates, + pitchers, tin bowls, wolf-traps. The children laughed when they saw a huge + syringe. There was not a tree in the yard that did not have mushrooms + growing around its foot, or a bunch of mistletoe hanging in its branches. + Several of the trees had been blown down, but they had started to grow in + the middle and all were laden with quantities of apples. The thatched + roofs, which were of unequal thickness, looked like brown velvet and could + resist the fiercest gales. But the wagon-shed was fast crumbling to ruins. + Madame Aubain said that she would attend to it, and then gave orders to + have the horses saddled. + </p> + <p> + It took another thirty minutes to reach Trouville. The little caravan + dismounted in order to pass Les Ecores, a cliff that overhangs the bay, + and a few minutes later, at the end of the dock, they entered the yard of + the Golden Lamb, an inn kept by Mother David. + </p> + <p> + During the first few days, Virginia felt stronger, owing to the change of + air and the action of the sea-baths. She took them in her little chemise, + as she had no bathing suit, and afterwards her nurse dressed her in the + cabin of a customs officer, which was used for that purpose by other + bathers. + </p> + <p> + In the afternoon, they would take the donkey and go to the Roches-Noires, + near Hennequeville. The path led at first through undulating grounds, and + thence to a plateau, where pastures and tilled fields alternated. At the + edge of the road, mingling with the brambles, grew holly bushes, and here + and there stood large dead trees whose branches traced zigzags upon the + blue sky. + </p> + <p> + Ordinarily, they rested in a field facing the ocean, with Deauville on + their left, and Havre on their right. The sea glittered brightly in the + sun and was as smooth as a mirror, and so calm that they could scarcely + distinguish its murmur; sparrows chirped joyfully and the immense canopy + of heaven spread over it all. Madame Aubain brought out her sewing, and + Virginia amused herself by braiding reeds; Felicite wove lavender + blossoms, while Paul was bored and wished to go home. + </p> + <p> + Sometimes they crossed the Toucques in a boat, and started to hunt for + sea-shells. The outgoing tide exposed star-fish and sea-urchins, and the + children tried to catch the flakes of foam which the wind blew away. The + sleepy waves lapping the sand unfurled themselves along the shore that + extended as far as the eye could see, but where land began, it was limited + by the downs which separated it from the “Swamp,” a large meadow shaped + like a hippodrome. When they went home that way, Trouville, on the slope + of a hill below, grew larger and larger as they advanced, and, with all + its houses of unequal height, seemed to spread out before them in a sort + of giddy confusion. + </p> + <p> + When the heat was too oppressive, they remained in their rooms. The + dazzling sunlight cast bars of light between the shutters. Not a sound in + the village, not a soul on the sidewalk. This silence intensified the + tranquility of everything. In the distance, the hammers of some calkers + pounded the hull of a ship, and the sultry breeze brought them an odour of + tar. + </p> + <p> + The principal diversion consisted in watching the return of the + fishing-smacks. As soon as they passed the beacons, they began to ply to + windward. The sails were lowered to one third of the masts, and with their + fore-sails swelled up like balloons they glided over the waves and + anchored in the middle of the harbour. Then they crept up alongside of the + dock and the sailors threw the quivering fish over the side of the boat; a + line of carts was waiting for them, and women with white caps sprang + forward to receive the baskets and embrace their men-folk. + </p> + <p> + One day, one of them spoke to Felicite, who, after a little while, + returned to the house gleefully. She had found one of her sisters, and + presently Nastasie Barette, wife of Leroux, made her appearance, holding + an infant in her arms, another child by the hand, while on her left was a + little cabin-boy with his hands in his pockets and his cap on his ear. + </p> + <p> + At the end of fifteen minutes, Madame Aubain bade her go. + </p> + <p> + They always hung around the kitchen, or approached Felicite when she and + the children were out walking. The husband, however, did not show himself. + </p> + <p> + Felicite developed a great fondness for them; she bought them a stove, + some shirts and a blanket; it was evident that they exploited her. Her + foolishness annoyed Madame Aubain, who, moreover did not like the nephew’s + familiarity, for he called her son “thou”;—and, as Virginia began to + cough and the season was over, she decided to return to Pont-l’Eveque. + </p> + <p> + Monsieur Bourais assisted her in the choice of a college. The one at Caen + was considered the best. So Paul was sent away and bravely said good-bye + to them all, for he was glad to go to live in a house where he would have + boy companions. + </p> + <p> + Madame Aubain resigned herself to the separation from her son because it + was unavoidable. Virginia brooded less and less over it. Felicite + regretted the noise he made, but soon a new occupation diverted her mind; + beginning from Christmas, she accompanied the little girl to her catechism + lesson every day. + </p> + <p> + <a name="link2HCH0003" id="link2HCH0003"> + <!-- H2 anchor --> </a> + </p> + <div style="height: 4em;"> + <br /><br /><br /><br /> + </div> + <h2> + CHAPTER III + </h2> + <p> + After she had made a curtsey at the threshold, she would walk up the aisle + between the double lines of chairs, open Madame Aubain’s pew, sit down and + look around. + </p> + <p> + Girls and boys, the former on the right, the latter on the left-hand side + of the church, filled the stalls of the choir; the priest stood beside the + reading-desk; on one stained window of the side-aisle the Holy Ghost + hovered over the Virgin; on another one, Mary knelt before the Child + Jesus, and behind the altar, a wooden group represented Saint Michael + felling the dragon. + </p> + <p> + The priest first read a condensed lesson of sacred history. Felicite + evoked Paradise, the Flood, the Tower of Babel, the blazing cities, the + dying nations, the shattered idols; and out of this she developed a great + respect for the Almighty and a great fear of His wrath. Then, when she had + listened to the Passion, she wept. Why had they crucified Him who loved + little children, nourished the people, made the blind see, and who, out of + humility, had wished to be born among the poor, in a stable? The sowings, + the harvests, the wine-presses, all those familiar things which the + Scriptures mention, formed a part of her life; the word of God sanctified + them; and she loved the lambs with increased tenderness for the sake of + the Lamb, and the doves because of the Holy Ghost. + </p> + <p> + She found it hard, however, to think of the latter as a person, for was it + not a bird, a flame, and sometimes only a breath? Perhaps it is its light + that at night hovers over swamps, its breath that propels the clouds, its + voice that renders church-bells harmonious. And Felicite worshipped + devoutly, while enjoying the coolness and the stillness of the church. + </p> + <p> + As for the dogma, she could not understand it and did not even try. The + priest discoursed, the children recited, and she went to sleep, only to + awaken with a start when they were leaving the church and their wooden + shoes clattered on the stone pavement. + </p> + <p> + In this way, she learned her catechism, her religious education having + been neglected in her youth; and thenceforth she imitated all Virginia’s + religious practices, fasted when she did, and went to confession with her. + At the Corpus-Christi Day they both decorated an altar. + </p> + <p> + She worried in advance over Virginia’s first communion. She fussed about + the shoes, the rosary, the book and the gloves. With what nervousness she + helped the mother dress the child! + </p> + <p> + During the entire ceremony, she felt anguished. Monsieur Bourais hid part + of the choir from view, but directly in front of her, the flock of + maidens, wearing white wreaths over their lowered veils, formed a + snow-white field, and she recognised her darling by the slenderness of her + neck and her devout attitude. The bell tinkled. All the heads bent and + there was a silence. Then, at the peals of the organ the singers and the + worshippers struck up the Agnes Dei; the boys’ procession began; behind + them came the girls. With clasped hands, they advanced step by step to the + lighted altar, knelt at the first step, received one by one the Host, and + returned to their seats in the same order. When Virginia’s turn came, + Felicite leaned forward to watch her, and through that imagination which + springs from true affection, she at once became the child, whose face and + dress became hers, whose heart beat in her bosom, and when Virginia opened + her mouth and closed her lids, she did likewise and came very near + fainting. + </p> + <p> + The following day, she presented herself early at the church so as to + receive communion from the cure. She took it with the proper feeling, but + did not experience the same delight as on the previous day. + </p> + <p> + Madame Aubain wished to make an accomplished girl of her daughter; and as + Guyot could not teach English or music, she decided to send her to the + Ursulines at Honfleur. + </p> + <p> + The child made no objection, but Felicite sighed and thought Madame was + heartless. Then, she thought that perhaps her mistress was right, as these + things were beyond her sphere. Finally, one day, an old fiacre stopped in + front of the door and a nun stepped out. Felicite put Virginia’s luggage + on top of the carriage, gave the coachman some instructions, and smuggled + six jars of jam, a dozen pears and a bunch of violets under the seat. + </p> + <p> + At the last minute, Virginia had a fit of sobbing; she embraced her mother + again and again, while the latter kissed her on the forehead, and said: + “Now, be brave, be brave!” The step was pulled up and the fiacre rumbled + off. + </p> + <p> + Then Madame Aubain had a fainting spell, and that evening all her friends, + including the two Lormeaus, Madame Lechaptois, the ladies Rochefeuille, + Messieurs de Houppeville and Bourais, called on her and tendered their + sympathy. + </p> + <p> + At first the separation proved very painful to her. But her daughter wrote + her three times a week and the other days she, herself, wrote to Virginia. + Then she walked in the garden, read a little, and in this way managed to + fill out the emptiness of the hours. + </p> + <p> + Each morning, out of habit, Felicite entered Virginia’s room and gazed at + the walls. She missed combing her hair, lacing her shoes, tucking her in + her bed, and the bright face and little hand when they used to go out for + a walk. In order to occupy herself she tried to make lace. But her clumsy + fingers broke the threads; she had no heart for anything, lost her sleep + and “wasted away,” as she put it. + </p> + <p> + In order to have some distraction, she asked leave to receive the visits + of her nephew Victor. + </p> + <p> + He would come on Sunday, after church, with ruddy cheeks and bared chest, + bringing with him the scent of the country. She would set the table and + they would sit down opposite each other, and eat their dinner; she ate as + little as possible, herself, to avoid any extra expense, but would stuff + him so with food that he would finally go to sleep. At the first stroke of + vespers, she would wake him up, brush his trousers, tie his cravat and + walk to church with him, leaning on his arm with maternal pride. + </p> + <p> + His parents always told him to get something out of her, either a package + of brown sugar, or soap, or brandy, and sometimes even money. He brought + her his clothes to mend, and she accepted the task gladly, because it + meant another visit from him. + </p> + <p> + In August, his father took him on a coasting-vessel. + </p> + <p> + It was vacation time and the arrival of the children consoled Felicite. + But Paul was capricious, and Virginia was growing too old to be + thee-and-thou’d, a fact which seemed to produce a sort of embarrassment in + their relations. + </p> + <p> + Victor went successively to Morlaix, to Dunkirk, and to Brighton; whenever + he returned from a trip he would bring her a present. The first time it + was a box of shells; the second, a coffee-cup; the third, a big doll of + ginger-bread. He was growing handsome, had a good figure, a tiny + moustache, kind eyes, and a little leather cap that sat jauntily on the + back of his head. He amused his aunt by telling her stories mingled with + nautical expressions. + </p> + <p> + One Monday, the 14th of July, 1819 (she never forgot the date), Victor + announced that he had been engaged on a merchant-vessel and that in two + days he would take the steamer at Honfleur and join his sailer, which was + going to start from Havre very soon. Perhaps he might be away two years. + </p> + <p> + The prospect of his departure filled Felicite with despair, and in order + to bid him farewell, on Wednesday night, after Madame’s dinner, she put on + her pattens and trudged the four miles that separated Pont-l’Eveque from + Honfleur. + </p> + <p> + When she reached the Calvary, instead of turning to the right, she turned + to the left and lost herself in coal-yards; she had to retrace her steps; + some people she spoke to advised her to hasten. She walked helplessly + around the harbour filled with vessels, and knocked against hawsers. + Presently the ground sloped abruptly, lights flitted to and fro, and she + thought all at once that she had gone mad when she saw some horses in the + sky. + </p> + <p> + Others, on the edge of the dock, neighed at the sight of the ocean. A + derrick pulled them up in the air, and dumped them into a boat, where + passengers were bustling about among barrels of cider, baskets of cheese + and bags of meal; chickens cackled, the captain swore and a cabin-boy + rested on the railing, apparently indifferent to his surroundings. + Felicite, who did not recognise him, kept shouting: “Victor!” He suddenly + raised his eyes, but while she was preparing to rush up to him, they + withdrew the gangplank. + </p> + <p> + The packet, towed by singing women, glided out of the harbour. Her hull + squeaked and the heavy waves beat up against her sides. The sail had + turned and nobody was visible;—and on the ocean, silvered by the + light of the moon, the vessel formed a black spot that grew dimmer and + dimmer, and finally disappeared. + </p> + <p> + When Felicite passed the Calvary again, she felt as if she must entrust + that which was dearest to her to the Lord; and for a long while she + prayed, with uplifted eyes and a face wet with tears. The city was + sleeping; some customs officials were taking the air; and the water kept + pouring through the holes of the dam with a deafening roar. The town clock + struck two. + </p> + <p> + The parlour of the convent would not open until morning, and surely a + delay would annoy Madame, so, in spite of her desire to see the other + child, she went home. The maids of the inn were just arising when she + reached Pont-l’Eveque. + </p> + <p> + So the poor boy would be on the ocean for months! His previous trips had + not alarmed her. One can come back from England and Brittany; but America, + the colonies, the islands, were all lost in an uncertain region at the + very end of the world. + </p> + <p> + From that time on, Felicite thought solely of her nephew. On warm days she + feared he would suffer from thirst, and when it stormed, she was afraid he + would be struck by lightning. When she harkened to the wind that rattled + in the chimney and dislodged the tiles on the roof, she imagined that he + was being buffeted by the same storm, perched on top of a shattered mast, + with his whole body bend backward and covered with sea-foam; or,—these + were recollections of the engraved geography—he was being devoured + by savages, or captured in a forest by apes, or dying on some lonely + coast. She never mentioned her anxieties, however. + </p> + <p> + Madame Aubain worried about her daughter. + </p> + <p> + The sisters thought that Virginia was affectionate but delicate. The + slightest emotion enervated her. She had to give up her piano lessons. Her + mother insisted upon regular letters from the convent. One morning, when + the postman failed to come, she grew impatient and began to pace to and + fro, from her chair to the window. It was really extraordinary! No news + since four days! + </p> + <p> + In order to console her mistress by her own example, Felicite said: + </p> + <p> + “Why, Madame, I haven’t had any news since six months!—” + </p> + <p> + “From whom?—” + </p> + <p> + The servant replied gently: + </p> + <p> + “Why—from my nephew.” + </p> + <p> + “Oh, yes, your nephew!” And shrugging her shoulders, Madame Aubain + continued to pace the floor as if to say: “I did not think of it.—Besides, + I do not care, a cabin-boy, a pauper!—but my daughter—what a + difference! just think of it!—” + </p> + <p> + Felicite, although she had been reared roughly, was very indignant. Then + she forgot about it. + </p> + <p> + It appeared quite natural to her that one should lose one’s head about + Virginia. + </p> + <p> + The two children were of equal importance; they were united in her heart + and their fate was to be the same. + </p> + <p> + The chemist informed her that Victor’s vessel had reached Havana. He had + read the information in a newspaper. + </p> + <p> + Felicite imagined that Havana was a place where people did nothing but + smoke, and that Victor walked around among negroes in a cloud of tobacco. + Could a person, in case of need, return by land? How far was it from + Pont-l’Eveque? In order to learn these things, she questioned Monsieur + Bourais. He reached for his map and began some explanations concerning + longitudes, and smiled with superiority at Felicite’s bewilderment. At + last, he took a pencil and pointed out an imperceptible black point in the + scallops of an oval blotch, adding: “There it is.” She bent over the map; + the maze of coloured lines hurt her eyes without enlightening her; and + when Bourais asked her what puzzled her, she requested him to show her the + house Victor lived in. Bourais threw up his hands, sneezed, and then + laughed uproariously; such ignorance delighted his soul; but Felicite + failed to understand the cause of his mirth, she whose intelligence was so + limited that she perhaps expected to see even the picture of her nephew! + </p> + <p> + It was two weeks later that Liebard came into the kitchen at market-time, + and handed her a letter from her brother-in-law. As neither of them could + read, she called upon her mistress. + </p> + <p> + Madame Aubain, who was counting the stitches of her knitting, laid her + work down beside her, opened the letter, started, and in a low tone and + with a searching look said: “They tell you of a—misfortune. Your + nephew—” + </p> + <p> + He had died. The letter told nothing more. + </p> + <p> + Felicite dropped on a chair, leaned her head against the back, and closed + her lids; presently they grew pink. Then, with drooping head, inert hands + and staring eyes she repeated at intervals: + </p> + <p> + “Poor little chap! poor little chap!” + </p> + <p> + Liebard watched her and sighed. Madame Aubain was trembling. + </p> + <p> + She proposed to the girl to go to see her sister in Trouville. + </p> + <p> + With a single motion, Felicite replied that it was not necessary. + </p> + <p> + There was a silence. Old Liebard thought it about time for him to take + leave. + </p> + <p> + Then Felicite uttered: + </p> + <p> + “They have no sympathy, they do not care!” + </p> + <p> + Her head fell forward again, and from time to time, mechanically, she + toyed with the long knitting-needles on the work-table. + </p> + <p> + Some women passed through the yard with a basket of wet clothes. + </p> + <p> + When she saw them through the window, she suddenly remembered her own + wash; as she had soaked it the day before, she must go and rinse it now. + So she arose and left the room. + </p> + <p> + Her tub and her board were on the bank of the Toucques. She threw a heap + of clothes on the ground, rolled up her sleeves and grasped her bat; and + her loud pounding could be heard in the neighbouring gardens. The meadows + were empty, the breeze wrinkled the stream, at the bottom of which were + long grasses that looked like the hair of corpses floating in the water. + She restrained her sorrow and was very brave until night; but, when she + had gone to her own room, she gave way to it, burying her face in the + pillow and pressing her two fists against her temples. + </p> + <p> + A long while afterward, she learned through Victor’s captain, the + circumstances which surrounded his death. At the hospital they had bled + him too much, treating him for yellow fever. Four doctors held him at one + time. He died almost instantly, and the chief surgeon had said: + </p> + <p> + “Here goes another one!” + </p> + <p> + His parents had always treated him barbarously; she preferred not to see + them again, and they made no advances, either from forgetfulness or out of + innate hardness. + </p> + <p> + Virginia was growing weaker. + </p> + <p> + A cough, continual fever, oppressive breathing and spots on her cheeks + indicated some serious trouble. Monsieur Popart had advised a sojourn in + Provence. Madame Aubain decided that they would go, and she would have had + her daughter come home at once, had it not been for the climate of + Pont-l’Eveque. + </p> + <p> + She made an arrangement with a livery-stable man who drove her over to the + convent every Tuesday. In the garden there was a terrace, from which the + view extends to the Seine. Virginia walked in it, leaning on her mother’s + arm and treading the dead vine leaves. Sometimes the sun, shining through + the clouds, made her blink her lids, when she gazed at the sails in the + distance, and let her eyes roam over the horizon from the chateau of + Tancarville to the lighthouses of Havre. Then they rested on the arbour. + Her mother had bought a little cask of fine Malaga wine, and Virginia, + laughing at the idea of becoming intoxicated, would drink a few drops of + it, but never more. + </p> + <p> + Her strength returned. Autumn passed. Felicite began to reassure Madame + Aubain. But, one evening, when she returned home after an errand, she met + M. Boupart’s coach in front of the door; M. Boupart himself was standing + in the vestibule and Madame Aubain was tying the strings of her bonnet. + “Give me my foot-warmer, my purse and my gloves; and be quick about it,” + she said. + </p> + <p> + Virginia had congestion of the lungs; perhaps it was desperate. + </p> + <p> + “Not yet,” said the physician, and both got into the carriage, while the + snow fell in thick flakes. It was almost night and very cold. + </p> + <p> + Felicite rushed to the church to light a candle. Then she ran after the + coach which she overtook after an hour’s chase, sprang up behind and held + on to the straps. But suddenly a thought crossed her mind: “The yard had + been left open; supposing that burglars got in!” And down she jumped. + </p> + <p> + The next morning, at daybreak, she called at the doctor’s. He had been + home, but had left again. Then she waited at the inn, thinking that + strangers might bring her a letter. At last, at daylight she took the + diligence for Lisieux. + </p> + <p> + The convent was at the end of a steep and narrow street. When she arrived + about at the middle of it, she heard strange noises, a funeral knell. “It + must be for some one else,” thought she; and she pulled the knocker + violently. + </p> + <p> + After several minutes had elapsed, she heard footsteps, the door was half + opened and a nun appeared. The good sister, with an air of compunction, + told her that “she had just passed away.” And at the same time the tolling + of Saint-Leonard’s increased. + </p> + <p> + Felicite reached the second floor. Already at the threshold, she caught + sight of Virginia lying on her back, with clasped hands, her mouth open + and her head thrown back, beneath a black crucifix inclined toward her, + and stiff curtains which were less white than her face. Madame Aubain lay + at the foot of the couch, clasping it with her arms and uttering groans of + agony. The Mother Superior was standing on the right side of the bed. The + three candles on the bureau made red blurs, and the windows were dimmed by + the fog outside. The nuns carried Madame Aubain from the room. + </p> + <p> + For two nights, Felicite never left the corpse. She would repeat the same + prayers, sprinkle holy water over the sheets, get up, come back to the bed + and contemplate the body. At the end of the first vigil, she noticed that + the face had taken on a yellow tinge, the lips grew blue, the nose grew + pinched, the eyes were sunken. She kissed them several times and would not + have been greatly astonished had Virginia opened them; to souls like this + the supernatural is always quite simple. She washed her, wrapped her in a + shroud, put her into the casket, laid a wreath of flowers on her head and + arranged her curls. They were blond and of an extraordinary length for her + age. Felicite cut off a big lock and put half of it into her bosom, + resolving never to part with it. + </p> + <p> + The body was taken to Pont-l’Eveque, according to Madame Aubain’s wishes; + she followed the hearse in a closed carriage. + </p> + <p> + After the ceremony it took three quarters of an hour to reach the + cemetery. Paul, sobbing, headed the procession; Monsieur Bourais followed, + and then came the principal inhabitants of the town, the women covered + with black capes, and Felicite. The memory of her nephew, and the thought + that she had not been able to render him these honours, made her doubly + unhappy, and she felt as if he were being buried with Virginia. + </p> + <p> + Madame Aubain’s grief was uncontrollable. At first she rebelled against + God, thinking that he was unjust to have taken away her child—she + who had never done anything wrong, and whose conscience was so pure! But + no! she ought to have taken her South. Other doctors would have saved her. + She accused herself, prayed to be able to join her child, and cried in the + midst of her dreams. Of the latter, one more especially haunted her. Her + husband, dressed like a sailor, had come back from a long voyage, and with + tears in his eyes told her that he had received the order to take Virginia + away. Then they both consulted about a hiding-place. + </p> + <p> + Once she came in from the garden, all upset. A moment before (and she + showed the place), the father and daughter had appeared to her, one after + the other; they did nothing but look at her. + </p> + <p> + During several months she remained inert in her room. Felicite scolded her + gently; she must keep up for her son and also for the other one, for “her + memory.” + </p> + <p> + “Her memory!” replied Madame Aubain, as if she were just awakening, “Oh! + yes, yes, you do not forget her!” This was an allusion to the cemetery + where she had been expressly forbidden to go. + </p> + <p> + But Felicite went there every day. At four o’clock exactly, she would go + through the town, climb the hill, open the gate and arrive at Virginia’s + tomb. It was a small column of pink marble with a flat stone at its base, + and it was surrounded by a little plot enclosed by chains. The flower-beds + were bright with blossoms. Felicite watered their leaves, renewed the + gravel, and knelt on the ground in order to till the earth properly. When + Madame Aubain was able to visit the cemetery she felt very much relieved + and consoled. + </p> + <p> + Years passed, all alike and marked by no other events than the return of + the great church holidays: Easter, Assumption, All Saints’ Day. Household + happenings constituted the only data to which in later years they often + referred. Thus, in 1825, workmen painted the vestibule; in 1827, a portion + of the roof almost killed a man by falling into the yard. In the summer of + 1828, it was Madame’s turn to offer the hallowed bread; at that time, + Bourais disappeared mysteriously; and the old acquaintances, Guyot, + Liebard, Madame Lechaptois, Robelin, old Gremanville, paralysed since a + long time, passed away one by one. One night, the driver of the mail in + Pont-l’Eveque announced the Revolution of July. A few days afterward a new + sub-prefect was nominated, the Baron de Larsonniere, ex-consul in America, + who, besides his wife, had his sister-in-law and her three grown daughters + with him. They were often seen on their lawn, dressed in loose blouses, + and they had a parrot and a negro servant. Madame Aubain received a call, + which she returned promptly. As soon as she caught sight of them, Felicite + would run and notify her mistress. But only one thing was capable of + arousing her: a letter from her son. + </p> + <p> + He could not follow any profession as he was absorbed in drinking. His + mother paid his debts and he made fresh ones; and the sighs that she + heaved while she knitted at the window reached the ears of Felicite who + was spinning in the kitchen. + </p> + <p> + They walked in the garden together, always speaking of Virginia, and + asking each other if such and such a thing would have pleased her, and + what she would probably have said on this or that occasion. + </p> + <p> + All her little belongings were put away in a closet of the room which held + the two little beds. But Madame Aubain looked them over as little as + possible. One summer day, however, she resigned herself to the task and + when she opened the closet the moths flew out. + </p> + <p> + Virginia’s frocks were hung under a shelf where there were three dolls, + some hoops, a doll-house, and a basic which she had used. Felicite and + Madame Aubain also took out the skirts, the handkerchiefs, and the + stockings and spread them on the beds, before putting them away again. The + sun fell on the piteous things, disclosing their spots and the creases + formed by the motions of the body. The atmosphere was warm and blue, and a + blackbird trilled in the garden; everything seemed to live in happiness. + They found a little hat of soft brown plush, but it was entirely + moth-eaten. Felicite asked for it. Their eyes met and filled with tears; + at last the mistress opened her arms and the servant threw herself against + her breast and they hugged each other and giving vent to their grief in a + kiss which equalised them for a moment. + </p> + <p> + It was the first time that this had ever happened, for Madame Aubain was + not of an expansive nature. Felicite was as grateful for it as if it had + been some favour, and thenceforth loved her with animal-like devotion and + a religious veneration. + </p> + <p> + Her kind-heartedness developed. When she heard the drums of a marching + regiment passing through the street, she would stand in the doorway with a + jug of cider and give the soldiers a drink. She nursed cholera victims. + She protected Polish refugees, and one of them even declared that he + wished to marry her. But they quarrelled, for one morning when she + returned from the Angelus she found him in the kitchen coolly eating a + dish which he had prepared for himself during her absence. + </p> + <p> + After the Polish refugees, came Colmiche, an old man who was credited with + having committed frightful misdeeds in ‘93. He lived near the river in the + ruins of a pig-sty. The urchins peeped at him through the cracks in the + walls and threw stones that fell on his miserable bed, where he lay + gasping with catarrh, with long hair, inflamed eyelids, and a tumour as + big as his head on one arm. + </p> + <p> + She got him some linen, tried to clean his hovel and dreamed of installing + him in the bake-house without his being in Madame’s way. When the cancer + broke, she dressed it every day; sometimes she brought him some cake and + placed him in the sun on a bundle of hay; and the poor old creature, + trembling and drooling, would thank her in his broken voice, and put out + his hands whenever she left him. Finally he died; and she had a mass said + for the repose of his soul. + </p> + <p> + That day a great joy came to her: at dinner-time, Madame de Larsonniere’s + servant called with the parrot, the cage, and the perch and chain and + lock. A note from the baroness told Madame Aubain that as her husband had + been promoted to a prefecture, they were leaving that night, and she + begged her to accept the bird as a remembrance and a token of her esteem. + </p> + <p> + Since a long time the parrot had been on Felicite’s mind, because he came + from America, which reminded her of Victor, and she had approached the + negro on the subject. + </p> + <p> + Once even, she had said: + </p> + <p> + “How glad Madame would be to have him!” + </p> + <p> + The man had repeated this remark to his mistress who, not being able to + keep the bird, took this means of getting rid of it. + </p> + <p> + <a name="link2HCH0004" id="link2HCH0004"> + <!-- H2 anchor --> </a> + </p> + <div style="height: 4em;"> + <br /><br /><br /><br /> + </div> + <h2> + CHAPTER IV + </h2> + <p> + He was called Loulou. His body was green, his head blue, the tips of his + wings were pink and his breast was golden. + </p> + <p> + But he had the tiresome tricks of biting his perch, pulling his feathers + out, scattering refuse and spilling the water of his bath. Madame Aubain + grew tired of him and gave him to Felicite for good. + </p> + <p> + She undertook his education, and soon he was able to repeat: “Pretty boy! + Your servant, sir! I salute you, Marie!” His perch was placed near the + door and several persons were astonished that he did not answer to the + name of “Jacquot,” for every parrot is called Jacquot. They called him a + goose and a log, and these taunts were like so many dagger thrusts to + Felicite. Strange stubbornness of the bird which would not talk when + people watched him! + </p> + <p> + Nevertheless, he sought society; for on Sunday, when the ladies + Rochefeuille, Monsieur de Houppeville and the new habitues, Onfroy, the + chemist, Monsieur Varin and Captain Mathieu, dropped in for their game of + cards, he struck the window-panes with his wings and made such a racket + that it was impossible to talk. + </p> + <p> + Bourais’ face must have appeared very funny to Loulou. As soon as he saw + him he would begin to roar. His voice re-echoed in the yard, and the + neighbours would come to the windows and begin to laugh, too; and in order + that the parrot might not see him, Monsieur Bourais edged along the wall, + pushed his hat over his eyes to hide his profile, and entered by the + garden door, and the looks he gave the bird lacked affection. Loulou, + having thrust his head into the butcher-boy’s basket, received a slap, and + from that time he always tried to nip his enemy. Fabu threatened to ring + his neck, although he was not cruelly inclined, notwithstanding his big + whiskers and tattooings. On the contrary, he rather liked the bird, and, + out of devilry, tried to teach him oaths. Felicite, whom his manner + alarmed, put Loulou in the kitchen, took off his chain and let him walk + all over the house. + </p> + <p> + When he went downstairs, he rested his beak on the steps, lifted his right + foot and then his left one; but his mistress feared that such feats would + give him vertigo. He became ill and was unable to eat. There was a small + growth under his tongue like those chickens are sometimes afflicted with. + Felicite pulled it off with her nails and cured him. One day, Paul was + imprudent enough to blow the smoke of his cigar in his face; another time, + Madame Lormeau was teasing him with the tip of her umbrella and he + swallowed the tip. Finally he got lost. + </p> + <p> + She had put him on the grass to cool him and went away only for a second; + when she returned, she found no parrot! She hunted among the bushes, on + the bank of the river, and on the roofs, without paying any attention to + Madame Aubain who screamed at her: “Take care! you must be insane!” Then + she searched every garden in Pont-l’Eveque and stopped the passers-by to + inquire of them: “Haven’t you perhaps seen my parrot?” To those who had + never seen the parrot, she described him minutely. Suddenly she thought + she saw something green fluttering behind the mills at the foot of the + hill. But when she was at the top of the hill she could not see it. A + hod-carrier told her that he had just seen the bird in Saint-Melaine, in + Mother Simon’s store. She rushed to the place. The people did not know + what she was talking about. At last she came home, exhausted, with her + slippers worn to shreds, and despair in her heart. She sat down on the + bench near Madame and was telling of her search when presently a light + weight dropped on her shoulder—Loulou! What the deuce had he been + doing? Perhaps he had just taken a little walk around the town! + </p> + <p> + She did not easily forget her scare; in fact, she never got over it. In + consequence of a cold, she caught a sore throat; and some time later she + had an earache. Three years later she was stone deaf, and spoke in a very + loud voice even in church. Although her sins might have been proclaimed + throughout the diocese without any shame to herself, or ill effects to the + community, the cure thought it advisable to receive her confession in the + vestry-room. + </p> + <p> + Imaginary buzzings also added to her bewilderment. Her mistress often said + to her: “My goodness, how stupid you are!” and she would answer: “Yes, + Madame,” and look for something. + </p> + <p> + The narrow circle of her ideas grew more restricted than it already was; + the bellowing of the oxen, the chime of the bells no longer reached her + intelligence. All things moved silently, like ghosts. Only one noise + penetrated her ears; the parrot’s voice. + </p> + <p> + As if to divert her mind, he reproduced for her the tick-tack of the spit + in the kitchen, the shrill cry of the fish-vendors, the saw of the + carpenter who had a shop opposite, and when the door-bell rang, he would + imitate Madame Aubain: “Felicite! go to the front door.” + </p> + <p> + They held conversations together, Loulou repeating the three phrases of + his repertory over and over, Felicite replying by words that had no + greater meaning, but in which she poured out her feelings. In her + isolation, the parrot was almost a son, a love. He climbed upon her + fingers, pecked at her lips, clung to her shawl, and when she rocked her + head to and fro like a nurse, the big wings of her cap and the wings of + the bird flapped in unison. When clouds gathered on the horizon and the + thunder rumbled, Loulou would scream, perhaps because he remembered the + storms in his native forests. The dripping of the rain would excite him to + frenzy; he flapped around, struck the ceiling with his wings, upset + everything, and would finally fly into the garden to play. Then he would + come back into the room, light on one of the andirons, and hop around in + order to get dry. + </p> + <p> + One morning during the terrible winter of 1837, when she had put him in + front of the fire-place on account of the cold, she found him dead in his + cage, hanging to the wire bars with his head down. He had probably died of + congestion. But she believed that he had been poisoned, and although she + had no proofs whatever, her suspicion rested on Fabu. + </p> + <p> + She wept so sorely that her mistress said: “Why don’t you have him + stuffed?” + </p> + <p> + She asked the advice of the chemist, who had always been kind to the bird. + </p> + <p> + He wrote to Havre for her. A certain man named Fellacher consented to do + the work. But, as the diligence driver often lost parcels entrusted to + him, Felicite resolved to take her pet to Honfleur herself. + </p> + <p> + Leafless apple-trees lined the edges of the road. The ditches were covered + with ice. The dogs on the neighbouring farms barked; and Felicite, with + her hands beneath her cape, her little black sabots and her basket, + trotted along nimbly in the middle of the sidewalk. She crossed the + forest, passed by the Haut-Chene, and reached Saint-Gatien. + </p> + <p> + Behind her, in a cloud of dust and impelled by the steep incline, a + mail-coach drawn by galloping horses advanced like a whirlwind. When he + saw a woman in the middle of the road, who did not get out of the way, the + driver stood up in his seat and shouted to her and so did the postilion, + while the four horses, which he could not hold back, accelerated their + pace; the two leaders were almost upon her; with a jerk of the reins he + threw them to one side, but, furious at the incident, he lifted his big + whip and lashed her from her head to her feet with such violence that she + fell to the ground unconscious. + </p> + <p> + Her first thought, when she recovered her senses, was to open the basket. + Loulou was unharmed. She felt a sting on her right cheek; when she took + her hand away it was red, for the blood was flowing. + </p> + <p> + She sat down on a pile of stones, and sopped her cheek with her + handkerchief; then she ate a crust of bread she had put in her basket, and + consoled herself by looking at the bird. + </p> + <p> + Arriving at the top of Ecquemanville, she saw the lights of Honfleur + shining in the distance like so many stars; further on, the ocean spread + out in a confused mass. Then a weakness came over her; the misery of her + childhood, the disappointment of her first love, the departure of her + nephew, the death of Virginia; all these things came back to her at once, + and, rising like a swelling tide in her throat, almost choked her. + </p> + <p> + Then she wished to speak to the captain of the vessel, and without stating + what she was sending, she gave him some instructions. + </p> + <p> + Fellacher kept the parrot a long time. He always promised that it would be + ready for the following week; after six months he announced the shipment + of a case, and that was the end of it. Really, it seemed as if Loulou + would never come back to his home. “They have stolen him,” thought + Felicite. + </p> + <p> + Finally he arrived, sitting bold upright on a branch which could be + screwed into a mahogany pedestal, with his foot in the air, his head on + one side, and in his beak a nut which the naturalist, from love of the + sumptuous, had gilded. She put him in her room. + </p> + <p> + This place, to which only a chosen few were admitted, looked like a chapel + and a second-hand shop, so filled was it with devotional and heterogeneous + things. The door could not be opened easily on account of the presence of + a large wardrobe. Opposite the window that looked out into the garden, a + bull’s-eye opened on the yard; a table was placed by the cot and held a + wash-basin, two combs, and a piece of blue soap in a broken saucer. On the + walls were rosaries, medals, a number of Holy Virgins, and a holy-water + basin made out of a cocoanut; on the bureau, which was covered with a + napkin like an altar, stood the box of shells that Victor had given her; + also a watering-can and a balloon, writing-books, the engraved geography + and a pair of shoes; on the nail which held the mirror, hung Virginia’s + little plush hat! Felicite carried this sort of respect so far that she + even kept one of Monsieur’s old coats. All the things which Madame Aubain + discarded, Felicite begged for her own room. Thus, she had artificial + flowers on the edge of the bureau, and the picture of the Comte d’Artois + in the recess of the window. By means of a board, Loulou was set on a + portion of the chimney which advanced into the room. Every morning when + she awoke, she saw him in the dim light of dawn and recalled bygone days + and the smallest details of insignificant actions, without any sense of + bitterness or grief. + </p> + <p> + As she was unable to communicate with people, she lived in a sort of + somnambulistic torpor. The processions of Corpus-Christi Day seemed to + wake her up. She visited the neighbours to beg for candlesticks and mats + so as to adorn the temporary altars in the street. + </p> + <p> + In church, she always gazed at the Holy Ghost, and noticed that there was + something about it that resembled a parrot. The likenesses appeared even + more striking on a coloured picture by Espinal, representing the baptism + of our Saviour. With his scarlet wings and emerald body, it was really the + image of Loulou. Having bought the picture, she hung it near the one of + the Comte d’Artois so that she could take them in at one glance. + </p> + <p> + They associated in her mind, the parrot becoming sanctified through the + neighbourhood of the Holy Ghost, and the latter becoming more lifelike in + her eyes, and more comprehensible. In all probability the Father had never + chosen as messenger a dove, as the latter has no voice, but rather one of + Loulou’s ancestors. And Felicite said her prayers in front of the coloured + picture, though from time to time she turned slightly towards the bird. + </p> + <p> + She desired very much to enter in the ranks of the “Daughters of the + Virgin.” But Madame Aubain dissuaded her from it. + </p> + <p> + A most important event occurred: Paul’s marriage. + </p> + <p> + After being first a notary’s clerk, then in business, then in the customs, + and a tax collector, and having even applied for a position in the + administration of woods and forests, he had at last, when he was + thirty-six years old, by a divine inspiration, found his vocation: + registrature! and he displayed such a high ability that an inspector had + offered him his daughter and his influence. + </p> + <p> + Paul, who had become quite settled, brought his bride to visit his mother. + </p> + <p> + But she looked down upon the customs of Pont-l’Eveque, put on airs, and + hurt Felicite’s feelings. Madame Aubain felt relieved when she left. + </p> + <p> + The following week they learned of Monsieur Bourais’ death in an inn. + There were rumours of suicide, which were confirmed; doubts concerning his + integrity arose. Madame Aubain looked over her accounts and soon + discovered his numerous embezzlements; sales of wood which had been + concealed from her, false receipts, etc. Furthermore, he had an + illegitimate child, and entertained a friendship for “a person in Dozule.” + </p> + <p> + These base actions affected her very much. In March, 1853, she developed a + pain in her chest; her tongue looked as if it were coated with smoke, and + the leeches they applied did not relieve her oppression; and on the ninth + evening she died, being just seventy-two years old. + </p> + <p> + People thought that she was younger, because her hair, which she wore in + bands framing her pale face, was brown. Few friends regretted her loss, + for her manner was so haughty that she did not attract them. Felicite + mourned for her as servants seldom mourn for their masters. The fact that + Madame should die before herself perplexed her mind and seemed contrary to + the order of things, and absolutely monstrous and inadmissible. Ten days + later (the time to journey from Besancon), the heirs arrived. Her + daughter-in-law ransacked the drawers, kept some of the furniture, and + sold the rest; then they went back to their own home. + </p> + <p> + Madame’s armchair, foot-warmer, work-table, the eight chairs, everything + was gone! The places occupied by the pictures formed yellow squares on the + walls. They had taken the two little beds, and the wardrobe had been + emptied of Virginia’s belongings! Felicite went upstairs, overcome with + grief. + </p> + <p> + The following day a sign was posted on the door; the chemist screamed in + her ear that the house was for sale. + </p> + <p> + For a moment she tottered, and had to sit down. + </p> + <p> + What hurt her most was to give up her room,—so nice for poor Loulou! + She looked at him in despair and implored the Holy Ghost, and it was this + way that she contracted the idolatrous habit of saying her prayers + kneeling in front of the bird. Sometimes the sun fell through the window + on his glass eye, and lighted a spark in it which sent Felicite into + ecstasy. + </p> + <p> + Her mistress had left her an income of three hundred and eighty francs. + The garden supplied her with vegetables. As for clothes, she had enough to + last her till the end of her days, and she economised on the light by + going to bed at dusk. + </p> + <p> + She rarely went out, in order to avoid passing in front of the second-hand + dealer’s shop where there was some of the old furniture. Since her + fainting spell, she dragged her leg, and as her strength was failing + rapidly, old Mother Simon, who had lost her money in the grocery business, + came very morning to chop the wood and pump the water. + </p> + <p> + Her eyesight grew dim. She did not open the shutters after that. Many + years passed. But the house did not sell or rent. Fearing that she would + be put out, Felicite did not ask for repairs. The laths of the roof were + rotting away, and during one whole winter her bolster was wet. After + Easter she spit blood. + </p> + <p> + Then Mother Simon went for a doctor. Felicite wished to know what her + complaint was. But, being too deaf to hear, she caught only one word: + “Pneumonia.” She was familiar with it and gently answered:—“Ah! like + Madame,” thinking it quite natural that she should follow her mistress. + </p> + <p> + The time for the altars in the street drew near. + </p> + <p> + The first one was always erected at the foot of the hill, the second in + front of the post-office, and the third in the middle of the street. This + position occasioned some rivalry among the women and they finally decided + upon Madame Aubain’s yard. + </p> + <p> + Felicite’s fever grew worse. She was sorry that she could not do anything + for the altar. If she could, at least, have contributed something towards + it! Then she thought of the parrot. Her neighbours objected that it would + not be proper. But the cure gave his consent and she was so grateful for + it that she begged him to accept after her death, her only treasure, + Loulou. From Tuesday until Saturday, the day before the event, she coughed + more frequently. In the evening her face was contracted, her lips stuck to + her gums and she began to vomit; and on the following day, she felt so low + that she called for a priest. + </p> + <p> + Three neighbours surrounded her when the dominie administered the Extreme + Unction. Afterwards she said that she wished to speak to Fabu. + </p> + <p> + He arrived in his Sunday clothes, very ill at ease among the funereal + surroundings. + </p> + <p> + “Forgive me,” she said, making an effort to extend her arm, “I believed it + was you who killed him!” + </p> + <p> + What did such accusations mean? Suspect a man like him of murder! And Fabu + became excited and was about to make trouble. + </p> + <p> + “Don’t you see she is not in her right mind?” + </p> + <p> + From time to time Felicite spoke to shadows. The women left her and Mother + Simon sat down to breakfast. + </p> + <p> + A little later, she took Loulou and holding him up to Felicite: + </p> + <p> + “Say good-bye to him, now!” she commanded. + </p> + <p> + Although he was not a corpse, he was eaten up by worms; one of his wings + was broken and the wadding was coming out of his body. But Felicite was + blind now, and she took him and laid him against her cheek. Then Mother + Simon removed him in order to set him on the altar. + </p> + <p> + <a name="link2HCH0005" id="link2HCH0005"> + <!-- H2 anchor --> </a> + </p> + <div style="height: 4em;"> + <br /><br /><br /><br /> + </div> + <h2> + CHAPTER V + </h2> + <p> + The grass exhaled an odour of summer; flies buzzed in the air, the sun + shone on the river and warmed the slated roof. Old Mother Simon had + returned to Felicite and was peacefully falling asleep. + </p> + <p> + The ringing of bells woke her; the people were coming out of church. + Felicite’s delirium subsided. By thinking of the procession, she was able + to see it as if she had taken part in it. All the school-children, the + singers and the firemen walked on the sidewalks, while in the middle of + the street came first the custodian of the church with his halberd, then + the beadle with a large cross, the teacher in charge of the boys and a + sister escorting the little girls; three of the smallest ones, with curly + heads, threw rose leaves into the air; the deacon with outstretched arms + conducted the music; and two incense-bearers turned with each step they + took toward the Holy Sacrament, which was carried by M. le Cure, attired + in his handsome chasuble and walking under a canopy of red velvet + supported by four men. A crowd of people followed, jammed between the + walls of the houses hung with white sheets; at last the procession arrived + at the foot of the hill. + </p> + <p> + A cold sweat broke out on Felicite’s forehead. Mother Simon wiped it away + with a cloth, saying inwardly that some day she would have to go through + the same thing herself. + </p> + <p> + The murmur of the crowd grew louder, was very distinct for a moment and + then died away. A volley of musketry shook the window-panes. It was the + postilions saluting the Sacrament. Felicite rolled her eyes, and said as + loudly as she could: + </p> + <p> + “Is he all right?” meaning the parrot. + </p> + <p> + Her death agony began. A rattle that grew more and more rapid shook her + body. Froth appeared at the corners of her mouth, and her whole frame + trembled. In a little while could be heard the music of the bass horns, + the clear voices of the children and the men’s deeper notes. At intervals + all was still, and their shoes sounded like a herd of cattle passing over + the grass. + </p> + <p> + The clergy appeared in the yard. Mother Simon climbed on a chair to reach + the bull’s-eye, and in this manner could see the altar. It was covered + with a lace cloth and draped with green wreaths. In the middle stood a + little frame containing relics; at the corners were two little + orange-trees, and all along the edge were silver candlesticks, porcelain + vases containing sun-flowers, lilies, peonies, and tufts of hydrangeas. + This mount of bright colours descended diagonally from the first floor to + the carpet that covered the sidewalk. Rare objects arrested one’s eye. A + golden sugar-bowl was crowned with violets, earrings set with Alencon + stones were displayed on green moss, and two Chinese screens with their + bright landscapes were near by. Loulou, hidden beneath roses, showed + nothing but his blue head which looked like a piece of lapis-lazuli. + </p> + <p> + The singers, the canopy-bearers and the children lined up against the + sides of the yard. Slowly the priest ascended the steps and placed his + shining sun on the lace cloth. Everybody knelt. There was deep silence; + and the censers slipping on their chains were swung high in the air. A + blue vapour rose in Felicite’s room. She opened her nostrils and inhaled + with a mystic sensuousness; then she closed her lids. Her lips smiled. The + beats of her heart grew fainter and fainter, and vaguer, like a fountain + giving out, like an echo dying away;—and when she exhaled her last + breath, she thought she saw in the half-opened heavens a gigantic parrot + hovering above her head. + </p> + <p> + <br /> <br /> + </p> +<pre xml:space="preserve"> + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of A Simple Soul, by Gustave Flaubert + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK A SIMPLE SOUL *** + +***** This file should be named 1253-h.htm or 1253-h.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + http://www.gutenberg.org/1/2/5/1253/ + +Produced by Dagny, John Bickers and David Widger + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. 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You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: A Simple Soul + +Author: Gustave Flaubert + +Release Date: February 18, 2006 [EBook #1253] +Last updated: November 14, 2012 + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ASCII + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK A SIMPLE SOUL *** + + + + +Produced by Dagny, John Bickers and David Widger + + + + + +A SIMPLE SOUL + +By Gustave Flaubert + + + + +CHAPTER I + +For half a century the housewives of Pont-l'Eveque had envied Madame +Aubain her servant Felicite. + +For a hundred francs a year, she cooked and did the housework, washed, +ironed, mended, harnessed the horse, fattened the poultry, made the +butter and remained faithful to her mistress--although the latter was by +no means an agreeable person. + +Madame Aubain had married a comely youth without any money, who died in +the beginning of 1809, leaving her with two young children and a number +of debts. She sold all her property excepting the farm of Toucques and +the farm of Geffosses, the income of which barely amounted to 5,000 +francs; then she left her house in Saint-Melaine, and moved into a less +pretentious one which had belonged to her ancestors and stood back of +the market-place. This house, with its slate-covered roof, was built +between a passage-way and a narrow street that led to the river. The +interior was so unevenly graded that it caused people to stumble. A +narrow hall separated the kitchen from the parlour, where Madame Aubain +sat all day in a straw armchair near the window. Eight mahogany chairs +stood in a row against the white wainscoting. An old piano, standing +beneath a barometer, was covered with a pyramid of old books and boxes. +On either side of the yellow marble mantelpiece, in Louis XV. style, +stood a tapestry armchair. The clock represented a temple of Vesta; +and the whole room smelled musty, as it was on a lower level than the +garden. + +On the first floor was Madame's bed-chamber, a large room papered in a +flowered design and containing the portrait of Monsieur dressed in the +costume of a dandy. It communicated with a smaller room, in which there +were two little cribs, without any mattresses. Next, came the parlour +(always closed), filled with furniture covered with sheets. Then a hall, +which led to the study, where books and papers were piled on the shelves +of a book-case that enclosed three quarters of the big black desk. +Two panels were entirely hidden under pen-and-ink sketches, Gouache +landscapes and Audran engravings, relics of better times and vanished +luxury. On the second floor, a garret-window lighted Felicite's room, +which looked out upon the meadows. + +She arose at daybreak, in order to attend mass, and she worked without +interruption until night; then, when dinner was over, the dishes cleared +away and the door securely locked, she would bury the log under the +ashes and fall asleep in front of the hearth with a rosary in her hand. +Nobody could bargain with greater obstinacy, and as for cleanliness, +the lustre on her brass sauce-pans was the envy and despair of other +servants. She was most economical, and when she ate she would gather up +crumbs with the tip of her finger, so that nothing should be wasted of +the loaf of bread weighing twelve pounds which was baked especially for +her and lasted three weeks. + +Summer and winter she wore a dimity kerchief fastened in the back with a +pin, a cap which concealed her hair, a red skirt, grey stockings, and an +apron with a bib like those worn by hospital nurses. + +Her face was thin and her voice shrill. When she was twenty-five, she +looked forty. After she had passed fifty, nobody could tell her +age; erect and silent always, she resembled a wooden figure working +automatically. + + + + +CHAPTER II + +Like every other woman, she had had an affair of the heart. Her father, +who was a mason, was killed by falling from a scaffolding. Then her +mother died and her sisters went their different ways; a farmer took her +in, and while she was quite small, let her keep cows in the fields. She +was clad in miserable rags, beaten for the slightest offence and finally +dismissed for a theft of thirty sous which she did not commit. She took +service on another farm where she tended the poultry; and as she was +well thought of by her master, her fellow-workers soon grew jealous. + +One evening in August (she was then eighteen years old), they persuaded +her to accompany them to the fair at Colleville. She was immediately +dazzled by the noise, the lights in the trees, the brightness of the +dresses, the laces and gold crosses, and the crowd of people all +hopping at the same time. She was standing modestly at a distance, when +presently a young man of well-to-do appearance, who had been leaning on +the pole of a wagon and smoking his pipe, approached her, and asked her +for a dance. He treated her to cider and cake, bought her a silk shawl, +and then, thinking she had guessed his purpose, offered to see her home. +When they came to the end of a field he threw her down brutally. But she +grew frightened and screamed, and he walked off. + +One evening, on the road leading to Beaumont, she came upon a wagon +loaded with hay, and when she overtook it, she recognised Theodore. He +greeted her calmly, and asked her to forget what had happened between +them, as it "was all the fault of the drink." + +She did not know what to reply and wished to run away. + +Presently he began to speak of the harvest and of the notables of the +village; his father had left Colleville and bought the farm of Les +Ecots, so that now they would be neighbours. "Ah!" she exclaimed. He +then added that his parents were looking around for a wife for him, but +that he, himself, was not so anxious and preferred to wait for a girl +who suited him. She hung her head. He then asked her whether she had +ever thought of marrying. She replied, smilingly, that it was wrong of +him to make fun of her. "Oh! no, I am in earnest," he said, and put his +left arm around her waist while they sauntered along. The air was soft, +the stars were bright, and the huge load of hay oscillated in front of +them, drawn by four horses whose ponderous hoofs raised clouds of dust. +Without a word from their driver they turned to the right. He kissed her +again and she went home. The following week, Theodore obtained meetings. + +They met in yards, behind walls or under isolated trees. She was not +ignorant, as girls of well-to-do families are--for the animals had +instructed her;--but her reason and her instinct of honour kept her from +falling. Her resistance exasperated Theodore's love and so in order +to satisfy it (or perchance ingenuously), he offered to marry her. She +would not believe him at first, so he made solemn promises. But, in a +short time he mentioned a difficulty; the previous year, his parents had +purchased a substitute for him; but any day he might be drafted and the +prospect of serving in the army alarmed him greatly. To Felicite his +cowardice appeared a proof of his love for her, and her devotion to him +grew stronger. When she met him, he would torture her with his fears and +his entreaties. At last, he announced that he was going to the prefect +himself for information, and would let her know everything on the +following Sunday, between eleven o'clock and midnight. + +When the time grew near, she ran to meet her lover. + +But instead of Theodore, one of his friends was at the meeting-place. + +He informed her that she would never see her sweetheart again; for, +in order to escape the conscription, he had married a rich old woman, +Madame Lehoussais, of Toucques. + +The poor girl's sorrow was frightful. She threw herself on the ground, +she cried and called on the Lord, and wandered around desolately until +sunrise. Then she went back to the farm, declared her intention of +leaving, and at the end of the month, after she had received her +wages, she packed all her belongings in a handkerchief and started for +Pont-l'Eveque. + +In front of the inn, she met a woman wearing widow's weeds, and upon +questioning her, learned that she was looking for a cook. The girl +did not know very much, but appeared so willing and so modest in her +requirements, that Madame Aubain finally said: + +"Very well, I will give you a trial." + +And half an hour later Felicite was installed in her house. + +At first she lived in a constant anxiety that was caused by "the style +of the household" and the memory of "Monsieur," that hovered over +everything. Paul and Virginia, the one aged seven, and the other +barely four, seemed made of some precious material; she carried them +pig-a-back, and was greatly mortified when Madame Aubain forbade her to +kiss them every other minute. + +But in spite of all this, she was happy. The comfort of her new +surroundings had obliterated her sadness. + +Every Thursday, friends of Madame Aubain dropped in for a game of +cards, and it was Felicite's duty to prepare the table and heat the +foot-warmers. They arrived at exactly eight o'clock and departed before +eleven. + +Every Monday morning, the dealer in second-hand goods, who lived under +the alley-way, spread out his wares on the sidewalk. Then the city would +be filled with a buzzing of voices in which the neighing of horses, the +bleating of lambs, the grunting of pigs, could be distinguished, mingled +with the sharp sound of wheels on the cobble-stones. About twelve +o'clock, when the market was in full swing, there appeared at the front +door a tall, middle-aged peasant, with a hooked nose and a cap on the +back of his head; it was Robelin, the farmer of Geffosses. Shortly +afterwards came Liebard, the farmer of Toucques, short, rotund and +ruddy, wearing a grey jacket and spurred boots. + +Both men brought their landlady either chickens or cheese. Felicite +would invariably thwart their ruses and they held her in great respect. + +At various times, Madame Aubain received a visit from the Marquis de +Gremanville, one of her uncles, who was ruined and lived at Falaise on +the remainder of his estates. He always came at dinner-time and brought +an ugly poodle with him, whose paws soiled their furniture. In spite of +his efforts to appear a man of breeding (he even went so far as to raise +his hat every time he said "My deceased father"), his habits got the +better of him, and he would fill his glass a little too often and relate +broad stories. Felicite would show him out very politely and say: "You +have had enough for this time, Monsieur de Gremanville! Hoping to see +you again!" and would close the door. + +She opened it gladly for Monsieur Bourais, a retired lawyer. His bald +head and white cravat, the ruffling of his shirt, his flowing brown +coat, the manner in which he took snuff, his whole person, in fact, +produced in her the kind of awe which we feel when we see extraordinary +persons. As he managed Madame's estates, he spent hours with her in +Monsieur's study; he was in constant fear of being compromised, had a +great regard for the magistracy and some pretensions to learning. + +In order to facilitate the children's studies, he presented them with +an engraved geography which represented various scenes of the world; +cannibals with feather head-dresses, a gorilla kidnapping a young girl, +Arabs in the desert, a whale being harpooned, etc. + +Paul explained the pictures to Felicite. And, in fact, this was her only +literary education. + +The children's studies were under the direction of a poor devil employed +at the town-hall, who sharpened his pocket-knife on his boots and was +famous for his penmanship. + +When the weather was fine, they went to Geffosses. The house was built +in the centre of the sloping yard; and the sea looked like a grey spot +in the distance. Felicite would take slices of cold meat from the lunch +basket and they would sit down and eat in a room next to the dairy. This +room was all that remained of a cottage that had been torn down. +The dilapidated wall-paper trembled in the drafts. Madame Aubain, +overwhelmed by recollections, would hang her head, while the children +were afraid to open their mouths. Then, "Why don't you go and play?" +their mother would say; and they would scamper off. + +Paul would go to the old barn, catch birds, throw stones into the pond, +or pound the trunks of the trees with a stick till they resounded like +drums. Virginia would feed the rabbits and run to pick the wild flowers +in the fields, and her flying legs would disclose her little embroidered +pantalettes. One autumn evening, they struck out for home through the +meadows. The new moon illumined part of the sky and a mist hovered like +a veil over the sinuosities of the river. Oxen, lying in the pastures, +gazed mildly at the passing persons. In the third field, however, +several of them got up and surrounded them. "Don't be afraid," cried +Felicite; and murmuring a sort of lament she passed her hand over the +back of the nearest ox; he turned away and the others followed. But when +they came to the next pasture, they heard frightful bellowing. + +It was a bull which was hidden from them by the fog. He advanced towards +the two women, and Madame Aubain prepared to flee for her life. "No, +no! not so fast," warned Felicite. Still they hurried on, for they could +hear the noisy breathing of the bull behind them. His hoofs pounded the +grass like hammers, and presently he began to gallop! Felicite turned +around and threw patches of grass in his eyes. He hung his head, shook +his horns and bellowed with fury. Madame Aubain and the children, +huddled at the end of the field, were trying to jump over the ditch. +Felicite continued to back before the bull, blinding him with dirt, +while she shouted to them to make haste. + +Madame Aubain finally slid into the ditch, after shoving first Virginia +and then Paul into it, and though she stumbled several times she +managed, by dint of courage, to climb the other side of it. + +The bull had driven Felicite up against a fence; the foam from +his muzzle flew in her face and in another minute he would have +disembowelled her. She had just time to slip between two bars and the +huge animal, thwarted, paused. + +For years, this occurrence was a topic of conversation in Pont-l'Eveque. +But Felicite took no credit to herself, and probably never knew that she +had been heroic. + +Virginia occupied her thoughts solely, for the shock she had sustained +gave her a nervous affection, and the physician, M. Poupart, prescribed +the salt-water bathing at Trouville. In those days, Trouville was +not greatly patronised. Madame Aubain gathered information, consulted +Bourais, and made preparations as if they were going on an extended +trip. + +The baggage was sent the day before on Liebard's cart. On the following +morning, he brought around two horses, one of which had a woman's saddle +with a velveteen back to it, while on the crupper of the other was a +rolled shawl that was to be used for a seat. Madame Aubain mounted the +second horse, behind Liebard. Felicite took charge of the little +girl, and Paul rode M. Lechaptois' donkey, which had been lent for the +occasion on the condition that they should be careful of it. + +The road was so bad that it took two hours to cover the eight miles. +The two horses sank knee-deep into the mud and stumbled into ditches; +sometimes they had to jump over them. In certain places, Liebard's mare +stopped abruptly. He waited patiently till she started again, and talked +of the people whose estates bordered the road, adding his own moral +reflections to the outline of their histories. Thus, when they +were passing through Toucques, and came to some windows draped with +nasturtiums, he shrugged his shoulders and said: "There's a woman, +Madame Lehoussais, who, instead of taking a young man--" Felicite could +not catch what followed; the horses began to trot, the donkey to gallop, +and they turned into a lane; then a gate swung open, two farm-hands +appeared and they all dismounted at the very threshold of the +farm-house. + +Mother Liebard, when she caught sight of her mistress, was lavish with +joyful demonstrations. She got up a lunch which comprised a leg of +mutton, tripe, sausages, a chicken fricassee, sweet cider, a fruit tart +and some preserved prunes; then to all this the good woman added polite +remarks about Madame, who appeared to be in better health, Mademoiselle, +who had grown to be "superb," and Paul, who had become singularly +sturdy; she spoke also of their deceased grandparents, whom the Liebards +had known, for they had been in the service of the family for several +generations. + +Like its owners, the farm had an ancient appearance. The beams of the +ceiling were mouldy, the walls black with smoke and the windows grey +with dust. The oak sideboard was filled with all sorts of utensils, +plates, pitchers, tin bowls, wolf-traps. The children laughed when they +saw a huge syringe. There was not a tree in the yard that did not have +mushrooms growing around its foot, or a bunch of mistletoe hanging in +its branches. Several of the trees had been blown down, but they had +started to grow in the middle and all were laden with quantities of +apples. The thatched roofs, which were of unequal thickness, looked like +brown velvet and could resist the fiercest gales. But the wagon-shed was +fast crumbling to ruins. Madame Aubain said that she would attend to it, +and then gave orders to have the horses saddled. + +It took another thirty minutes to reach Trouville. The little caravan +dismounted in order to pass Les Ecores, a cliff that overhangs the bay, +and a few minutes later, at the end of the dock, they entered the yard +of the Golden Lamb, an inn kept by Mother David. + +During the first few days, Virginia felt stronger, owing to the change +of air and the action of the sea-baths. She took them in her little +chemise, as she had no bathing suit, and afterwards her nurse dressed +her in the cabin of a customs officer, which was used for that purpose +by other bathers. + +In the afternoon, they would take the donkey and go to the +Roches-Noires, near Hennequeville. The path led at first through +undulating grounds, and thence to a plateau, where pastures and tilled +fields alternated. At the edge of the road, mingling with the brambles, +grew holly bushes, and here and there stood large dead trees whose +branches traced zigzags upon the blue sky. + +Ordinarily, they rested in a field facing the ocean, with Deauville on +their left, and Havre on their right. The sea glittered brightly in the +sun and was as smooth as a mirror, and so calm that they could scarcely +distinguish its murmur; sparrows chirped joyfully and the immense canopy +of heaven spread over it all. Madame Aubain brought out her sewing, +and Virginia amused herself by braiding reeds; Felicite wove lavender +blossoms, while Paul was bored and wished to go home. + +Sometimes they crossed the Toucques in a boat, and started to hunt for +sea-shells. The outgoing tide exposed star-fish and sea-urchins, and the +children tried to catch the flakes of foam which the wind blew away. The +sleepy waves lapping the sand unfurled themselves along the shore that +extended as far as the eye could see, but where land began, it was +limited by the downs which separated it from the "Swamp," a large meadow +shaped like a hippodrome. When they went home that way, Trouville, on +the slope of a hill below, grew larger and larger as they advanced, and, +with all its houses of unequal height, seemed to spread out before them +in a sort of giddy confusion. + +When the heat was too oppressive, they remained in their rooms. The +dazzling sunlight cast bars of light between the shutters. Not a sound +in the village, not a soul on the sidewalk. This silence intensified the +tranquility of everything. In the distance, the hammers of some calkers +pounded the hull of a ship, and the sultry breeze brought them an odour +of tar. + +The principal diversion consisted in watching the return of the +fishing-smacks. As soon as they passed the beacons, they began to ply +to windward. The sails were lowered to one third of the masts, and with +their fore-sails swelled up like balloons they glided over the waves and +anchored in the middle of the harbour. Then they crept up alongside of +the dock and the sailors threw the quivering fish over the side of the +boat; a line of carts was waiting for them, and women with white caps +sprang forward to receive the baskets and embrace their men-folk. + +One day, one of them spoke to Felicite, who, after a little while, +returned to the house gleefully. She had found one of her sisters, and +presently Nastasie Barette, wife of Leroux, made her appearance, holding +an infant in her arms, another child by the hand, while on her left was +a little cabin-boy with his hands in his pockets and his cap on his ear. + +At the end of fifteen minutes, Madame Aubain bade her go. + +They always hung around the kitchen, or approached Felicite when she +and the children were out walking. The husband, however, did not show +himself. + +Felicite developed a great fondness for them; she bought them a stove, +some shirts and a blanket; it was evident that they exploited her. +Her foolishness annoyed Madame Aubain, who, moreover did not like the +nephew's familiarity, for he called her son "thou";--and, as Virginia +began to cough and the season was over, she decided to return to +Pont-l'Eveque. + +Monsieur Bourais assisted her in the choice of a college. The one at +Caen was considered the best. So Paul was sent away and bravely said +good-bye to them all, for he was glad to go to live in a house where he +would have boy companions. + +Madame Aubain resigned herself to the separation from her son because +it was unavoidable. Virginia brooded less and less over it. Felicite +regretted the noise he made, but soon a new occupation diverted her +mind; beginning from Christmas, she accompanied the little girl to her +catechism lesson every day. + + + + +CHAPTER III + +After she had made a curtsey at the threshold, she would walk up the +aisle between the double lines of chairs, open Madame Aubain's pew, sit +down and look around. + +Girls and boys, the former on the right, the latter on the left-hand +side of the church, filled the stalls of the choir; the priest stood +beside the reading-desk; on one stained window of the side-aisle the +Holy Ghost hovered over the Virgin; on another one, Mary knelt before +the Child Jesus, and behind the altar, a wooden group represented Saint +Michael felling the dragon. + +The priest first read a condensed lesson of sacred history. Felicite +evoked Paradise, the Flood, the Tower of Babel, the blazing cities, +the dying nations, the shattered idols; and out of this she developed a +great respect for the Almighty and a great fear of His wrath. Then, when +she had listened to the Passion, she wept. Why had they crucified Him +who loved little children, nourished the people, made the blind see, and +who, out of humility, had wished to be born among the poor, in a stable? +The sowings, the harvests, the wine-presses, all those familiar things +which the Scriptures mention, formed a part of her life; the word of God +sanctified them; and she loved the lambs with increased tenderness for +the sake of the Lamb, and the doves because of the Holy Ghost. + +She found it hard, however, to think of the latter as a person, for was +it not a bird, a flame, and sometimes only a breath? Perhaps it is its +light that at night hovers over swamps, its breath that propels the +clouds, its voice that renders church-bells harmonious. And Felicite +worshipped devoutly, while enjoying the coolness and the stillness of +the church. + +As for the dogma, she could not understand it and did not even try. The +priest discoursed, the children recited, and she went to sleep, only to +awaken with a start when they were leaving the church and their wooden +shoes clattered on the stone pavement. + +In this way, she learned her catechism, her religious education having +been neglected in her youth; and thenceforth she imitated all Virginia's +religious practices, fasted when she did, and went to confession with +her. At the Corpus-Christi Day they both decorated an altar. + +She worried in advance over Virginia's first communion. She fussed about +the shoes, the rosary, the book and the gloves. With what nervousness +she helped the mother dress the child! + +During the entire ceremony, she felt anguished. Monsieur Bourais hid +part of the choir from view, but directly in front of her, the flock +of maidens, wearing white wreaths over their lowered veils, formed a +snow-white field, and she recognised her darling by the slenderness of +her neck and her devout attitude. The bell tinkled. All the heads bent +and there was a silence. Then, at the peals of the organ the singers +and the worshippers struck up the Agnes Dei; the boys' procession began; +behind them came the girls. With clasped hands, they advanced step by +step to the lighted altar, knelt at the first step, received one by one +the Host, and returned to their seats in the same order. When Virginia's +turn came, Felicite leaned forward to watch her, and through that +imagination which springs from true affection, she at once became the +child, whose face and dress became hers, whose heart beat in her bosom, +and when Virginia opened her mouth and closed her lids, she did likewise +and came very near fainting. + +The following day, she presented herself early at the church so as to +receive communion from the cure. She took it with the proper feeling, +but did not experience the same delight as on the previous day. + +Madame Aubain wished to make an accomplished girl of her daughter; and +as Guyot could not teach English or music, she decided to send her to +the Ursulines at Honfleur. + +The child made no objection, but Felicite sighed and thought Madame was +heartless. Then, she thought that perhaps her mistress was right, as +these things were beyond her sphere. Finally, one day, an old fiacre +stopped in front of the door and a nun stepped out. Felicite put +Virginia's luggage on top of the carriage, gave the coachman some +instructions, and smuggled six jars of jam, a dozen pears and a bunch of +violets under the seat. + +At the last minute, Virginia had a fit of sobbing; she embraced her +mother again and again, while the latter kissed her on the forehead, and +said: "Now, be brave, be brave!" The step was pulled up and the fiacre +rumbled off. + +Then Madame Aubain had a fainting spell, and that evening all her +friends, including the two Lormeaus, Madame Lechaptois, the ladies +Rochefeuille, Messieurs de Houppeville and Bourais, called on her and +tendered their sympathy. + +At first the separation proved very painful to her. But her daughter +wrote her three times a week and the other days she, herself, wrote to +Virginia. Then she walked in the garden, read a little, and in this way +managed to fill out the emptiness of the hours. + +Each morning, out of habit, Felicite entered Virginia's room and gazed +at the walls. She missed combing her hair, lacing her shoes, tucking her +in her bed, and the bright face and little hand when they used to go out +for a walk. In order to occupy herself she tried to make lace. But her +clumsy fingers broke the threads; she had no heart for anything, lost +her sleep and "wasted away," as she put it. + +In order to have some distraction, she asked leave to receive the visits +of her nephew Victor. + +He would come on Sunday, after church, with ruddy cheeks and bared +chest, bringing with him the scent of the country. She would set the +table and they would sit down opposite each other, and eat their dinner; +she ate as little as possible, herself, to avoid any extra expense, but +would stuff him so with food that he would finally go to sleep. At the +first stroke of vespers, she would wake him up, brush his trousers, tie +his cravat and walk to church with him, leaning on his arm with maternal +pride. + +His parents always told him to get something out of her, either a +package of brown sugar, or soap, or brandy, and sometimes even money. +He brought her his clothes to mend, and she accepted the task gladly, +because it meant another visit from him. + +In August, his father took him on a coasting-vessel. + +It was vacation time and the arrival of the children consoled Felicite. +But Paul was capricious, and Virginia was growing too old to be +thee-and-thou'd, a fact which seemed to produce a sort of embarrassment +in their relations. + +Victor went successively to Morlaix, to Dunkirk, and to Brighton; +whenever he returned from a trip he would bring her a present. The first +time it was a box of shells; the second, a coffee-cup; the third, a big +doll of ginger-bread. He was growing handsome, had a good figure, a tiny +moustache, kind eyes, and a little leather cap that sat jauntily on the +back of his head. He amused his aunt by telling her stories mingled with +nautical expressions. + +One Monday, the 14th of July, 1819 (she never forgot the date), Victor +announced that he had been engaged on a merchant-vessel and that in two +days he would take the steamer at Honfleur and join his sailer, which +was going to start from Havre very soon. Perhaps he might be away two +years. + +The prospect of his departure filled Felicite with despair, and in order +to bid him farewell, on Wednesday night, after Madame's dinner, she put +on her pattens and trudged the four miles that separated Pont-l'Eveque +from Honfleur. + +When she reached the Calvary, instead of turning to the right, she +turned to the left and lost herself in coal-yards; she had to retrace +her steps; some people she spoke to advised her to hasten. She walked +helplessly around the harbour filled with vessels, and knocked against +hawsers. Presently the ground sloped abruptly, lights flitted to and +fro, and she thought all at once that she had gone mad when she saw some +horses in the sky. + +Others, on the edge of the dock, neighed at the sight of the ocean. A +derrick pulled them up in the air, and dumped them into a boat, where +passengers were bustling about among barrels of cider, baskets of cheese +and bags of meal; chickens cackled, the captain swore and a cabin-boy +rested on the railing, apparently indifferent to his surroundings. +Felicite, who did not recognise him, kept shouting: "Victor!" He +suddenly raised his eyes, but while she was preparing to rush up to him, +they withdrew the gangplank. + +The packet, towed by singing women, glided out of the harbour. Her hull +squeaked and the heavy waves beat up against her sides. The sail had +turned and nobody was visible;--and on the ocean, silvered by the light +of the moon, the vessel formed a black spot that grew dimmer and dimmer, +and finally disappeared. + +When Felicite passed the Calvary again, she felt as if she must entrust +that which was dearest to her to the Lord; and for a long while she +prayed, with uplifted eyes and a face wet with tears. The city was +sleeping; some customs officials were taking the air; and the water kept +pouring through the holes of the dam with a deafening roar. The town +clock struck two. + +The parlour of the convent would not open until morning, and surely a +delay would annoy Madame, so, in spite of her desire to see the other +child, she went home. The maids of the inn were just arising when she +reached Pont-l'Eveque. + +So the poor boy would be on the ocean for months! His previous trips +had not alarmed her. One can come back from England and Brittany; but +America, the colonies, the islands, were all lost in an uncertain region +at the very end of the world. + +From that time on, Felicite thought solely of her nephew. On warm days +she feared he would suffer from thirst, and when it stormed, she was +afraid he would be struck by lightning. When she harkened to the wind +that rattled in the chimney and dislodged the tiles on the roof, she +imagined that he was being buffeted by the same storm, perched on top +of a shattered mast, with his whole body bend backward and covered with +sea-foam; or,--these were recollections of the engraved geography--he +was being devoured by savages, or captured in a forest by apes, or dying +on some lonely coast. She never mentioned her anxieties, however. + +Madame Aubain worried about her daughter. + +The sisters thought that Virginia was affectionate but delicate. The +slightest emotion enervated her. She had to give up her piano lessons. +Her mother insisted upon regular letters from the convent. One morning, +when the postman failed to come, she grew impatient and began to pace to +and fro, from her chair to the window. It was really extraordinary! No +news since four days! + +In order to console her mistress by her own example, Felicite said: + +"Why, Madame, I haven't had any news since six months!--" + +"From whom?--" + +The servant replied gently: + +"Why--from my nephew." + +"Oh, yes, your nephew!" And shrugging her shoulders, Madame Aubain +continued to pace the floor as if to say: "I did not think of +it.--Besides, I do not care, a cabin-boy, a pauper!--but my +daughter--what a difference! just think of it!--" + +Felicite, although she had been reared roughly, was very indignant. Then +she forgot about it. + +It appeared quite natural to her that one should lose one's head about +Virginia. + +The two children were of equal importance; they were united in her heart +and their fate was to be the same. + +The chemist informed her that Victor's vessel had reached Havana. He had +read the information in a newspaper. + +Felicite imagined that Havana was a place where people did nothing +but smoke, and that Victor walked around among negroes in a cloud of +tobacco. Could a person, in case of need, return by land? How far was +it from Pont-l'Eveque? In order to learn these things, she questioned +Monsieur Bourais. He reached for his map and began some explanations +concerning longitudes, and smiled with superiority at Felicite's +bewilderment. At last, he took a pencil and pointed out an imperceptible +black point in the scallops of an oval blotch, adding: "There it is." +She bent over the map; the maze of coloured lines hurt her eyes without +enlightening her; and when Bourais asked her what puzzled her, she +requested him to show her the house Victor lived in. Bourais threw +up his hands, sneezed, and then laughed uproariously; such ignorance +delighted his soul; but Felicite failed to understand the cause of his +mirth, she whose intelligence was so limited that she perhaps expected +to see even the picture of her nephew! + +It was two weeks later that Liebard came into the kitchen at +market-time, and handed her a letter from her brother-in-law. As neither +of them could read, she called upon her mistress. + +Madame Aubain, who was counting the stitches of her knitting, laid her +work down beside her, opened the letter, started, and in a low tone +and with a searching look said: "They tell you of a--misfortune. Your +nephew--" + +He had died. The letter told nothing more. + +Felicite dropped on a chair, leaned her head against the back, and +closed her lids; presently they grew pink. Then, with drooping head, +inert hands and staring eyes she repeated at intervals: + +"Poor little chap! poor little chap!" + +Liebard watched her and sighed. Madame Aubain was trembling. + +She proposed to the girl to go to see her sister in Trouville. + +With a single motion, Felicite replied that it was not necessary. + +There was a silence. Old Liebard thought it about time for him to take +leave. + +Then Felicite uttered: + +"They have no sympathy, they do not care!" + +Her head fell forward again, and from time to time, mechanically, she +toyed with the long knitting-needles on the work-table. + +Some women passed through the yard with a basket of wet clothes. + +When she saw them through the window, she suddenly remembered her own +wash; as she had soaked it the day before, she must go and rinse it now. +So she arose and left the room. + +Her tub and her board were on the bank of the Toucques. She threw a heap +of clothes on the ground, rolled up her sleeves and grasped her bat; +and her loud pounding could be heard in the neighbouring gardens. The +meadows were empty, the breeze wrinkled the stream, at the bottom of +which were long grasses that looked like the hair of corpses floating +in the water. She restrained her sorrow and was very brave until night; +but, when she had gone to her own room, she gave way to it, burying her +face in the pillow and pressing her two fists against her temples. + +A long while afterward, she learned through Victor's captain, the +circumstances which surrounded his death. At the hospital they had bled +him too much, treating him for yellow fever. Four doctors held him at +one time. He died almost instantly, and the chief surgeon had said: + +"Here goes another one!" + +His parents had always treated him barbarously; she preferred not to see +them again, and they made no advances, either from forgetfulness or out +of innate hardness. + +Virginia was growing weaker. + +A cough, continual fever, oppressive breathing and spots on her cheeks +indicated some serious trouble. Monsieur Popart had advised a sojourn in +Provence. Madame Aubain decided that they would go, and she would have +had her daughter come home at once, had it not been for the climate of +Pont-l'Eveque. + +She made an arrangement with a livery-stable man who drove her over to +the convent every Tuesday. In the garden there was a terrace, from which +the view extends to the Seine. Virginia walked in it, leaning on her +mother's arm and treading the dead vine leaves. Sometimes the sun, +shining through the clouds, made her blink her lids, when she gazed at +the sails in the distance, and let her eyes roam over the horizon from +the chateau of Tancarville to the lighthouses of Havre. Then they rested +on the arbour. Her mother had bought a little cask of fine Malaga wine, +and Virginia, laughing at the idea of becoming intoxicated, would drink +a few drops of it, but never more. + +Her strength returned. Autumn passed. Felicite began to reassure Madame +Aubain. But, one evening, when she returned home after an errand, she +met M. Boupart's coach in front of the door; M. Boupart himself was +standing in the vestibule and Madame Aubain was tying the strings of her +bonnet. "Give me my foot-warmer, my purse and my gloves; and be quick +about it," she said. + +Virginia had congestion of the lungs; perhaps it was desperate. + +"Not yet," said the physician, and both got into the carriage, while the +snow fell in thick flakes. It was almost night and very cold. + +Felicite rushed to the church to light a candle. Then she ran after the +coach which she overtook after an hour's chase, sprang up behind and +held on to the straps. But suddenly a thought crossed her mind: "The +yard had been left open; supposing that burglars got in!" And down she +jumped. + +The next morning, at daybreak, she called at the doctor's. He had been +home, but had left again. Then she waited at the inn, thinking that +strangers might bring her a letter. At last, at daylight she took the +diligence for Lisieux. + +The convent was at the end of a steep and narrow street. When she +arrived about at the middle of it, she heard strange noises, a funeral +knell. "It must be for some one else," thought she; and she pulled the +knocker violently. + +After several minutes had elapsed, she heard footsteps, the door +was half opened and a nun appeared. The good sister, with an air of +compunction, told her that "she had just passed away." And at the same +time the tolling of Saint-Leonard's increased. + +Felicite reached the second floor. Already at the threshold, she caught +sight of Virginia lying on her back, with clasped hands, her mouth open +and her head thrown back, beneath a black crucifix inclined toward her, +and stiff curtains which were less white than her face. Madame Aubain +lay at the foot of the couch, clasping it with her arms and uttering +groans of agony. The Mother Superior was standing on the right side of +the bed. The three candles on the bureau made red blurs, and the windows +were dimmed by the fog outside. The nuns carried Madame Aubain from the +room. + +For two nights, Felicite never left the corpse. She would repeat the +same prayers, sprinkle holy water over the sheets, get up, come back +to the bed and contemplate the body. At the end of the first vigil, she +noticed that the face had taken on a yellow tinge, the lips grew blue, +the nose grew pinched, the eyes were sunken. She kissed them several +times and would not have been greatly astonished had Virginia opened +them; to souls like this the supernatural is always quite simple. She +washed her, wrapped her in a shroud, put her into the casket, laid a +wreath of flowers on her head and arranged her curls. They were blond +and of an extraordinary length for her age. Felicite cut off a big lock +and put half of it into her bosom, resolving never to part with it. + +The body was taken to Pont-l'Eveque, according to Madame Aubain's +wishes; she followed the hearse in a closed carriage. + +After the ceremony it took three quarters of an hour to reach the +cemetery. Paul, sobbing, headed the procession; Monsieur Bourais +followed, and then came the principal inhabitants of the town, the women +covered with black capes, and Felicite. The memory of her nephew, and +the thought that she had not been able to render him these honours, +made her doubly unhappy, and she felt as if he were being buried with +Virginia. + +Madame Aubain's grief was uncontrollable. At first she rebelled against +God, thinking that he was unjust to have taken away her child--she who +had never done anything wrong, and whose conscience was so pure! But no! +she ought to have taken her South. Other doctors would have saved her. +She accused herself, prayed to be able to join her child, and cried in +the midst of her dreams. Of the latter, one more especially haunted her. +Her husband, dressed like a sailor, had come back from a long voyage, +and with tears in his eyes told her that he had received the order to +take Virginia away. Then they both consulted about a hiding-place. + +Once she came in from the garden, all upset. A moment before (and she +showed the place), the father and daughter had appeared to her, one +after the other; they did nothing but look at her. + +During several months she remained inert in her room. Felicite scolded +her gently; she must keep up for her son and also for the other one, for +"her memory." + +"Her memory!" replied Madame Aubain, as if she were just awakening, "Oh! +yes, yes, you do not forget her!" This was an allusion to the cemetery +where she had been expressly forbidden to go. + +But Felicite went there every day. At four o'clock exactly, she would go +through the town, climb the hill, open the gate and arrive at Virginia's +tomb. It was a small column of pink marble with a flat stone at its +base, and it was surrounded by a little plot enclosed by chains. The +flower-beds were bright with blossoms. Felicite watered their leaves, +renewed the gravel, and knelt on the ground in order to till the earth +properly. When Madame Aubain was able to visit the cemetery she felt +very much relieved and consoled. + +Years passed, all alike and marked by no other events than the return +of the great church holidays: Easter, Assumption, All Saints' Day. +Household happenings constituted the only data to which in later years +they often referred. Thus, in 1825, workmen painted the vestibule; in +1827, a portion of the roof almost killed a man by falling into the +yard. In the summer of 1828, it was Madame's turn to offer the hallowed +bread; at that time, Bourais disappeared mysteriously; and the +old acquaintances, Guyot, Liebard, Madame Lechaptois, Robelin, old +Gremanville, paralysed since a long time, passed away one by one. One +night, the driver of the mail in Pont-l'Eveque announced the Revolution +of July. A few days afterward a new sub-prefect was nominated, the Baron +de Larsonniere, ex-consul in America, who, besides his wife, had his +sister-in-law and her three grown daughters with him. They were often +seen on their lawn, dressed in loose blouses, and they had a parrot +and a negro servant. Madame Aubain received a call, which she returned +promptly. As soon as she caught sight of them, Felicite would run and +notify her mistress. But only one thing was capable of arousing her: a +letter from her son. + +He could not follow any profession as he was absorbed in drinking. His +mother paid his debts and he made fresh ones; and the sighs that she +heaved while she knitted at the window reached the ears of Felicite who +was spinning in the kitchen. + +They walked in the garden together, always speaking of Virginia, and +asking each other if such and such a thing would have pleased her, and +what she would probably have said on this or that occasion. + +All her little belongings were put away in a closet of the room which +held the two little beds. But Madame Aubain looked them over as little +as possible. One summer day, however, she resigned herself to the task +and when she opened the closet the moths flew out. + +Virginia's frocks were hung under a shelf where there were three dolls, +some hoops, a doll-house, and a basic which she had used. Felicite +and Madame Aubain also took out the skirts, the handkerchiefs, and the +stockings and spread them on the beds, before putting them away again. +The sun fell on the piteous things, disclosing their spots and the +creases formed by the motions of the body. The atmosphere was warm and +blue, and a blackbird trilled in the garden; everything seemed to live +in happiness. They found a little hat of soft brown plush, but it was +entirely moth-eaten. Felicite asked for it. Their eyes met and filled +with tears; at last the mistress opened her arms and the servant threw +herself against her breast and they hugged each other and giving vent to +their grief in a kiss which equalised them for a moment. + +It was the first time that this had ever happened, for Madame Aubain was +not of an expansive nature. Felicite was as grateful for it as if it had +been some favour, and thenceforth loved her with animal-like devotion +and a religious veneration. + +Her kind-heartedness developed. When she heard the drums of a marching +regiment passing through the street, she would stand in the doorway +with a jug of cider and give the soldiers a drink. She nursed cholera +victims. She protected Polish refugees, and one of them even declared +that he wished to marry her. But they quarrelled, for one morning when +she returned from the Angelus she found him in the kitchen coolly eating +a dish which he had prepared for himself during her absence. + +After the Polish refugees, came Colmiche, an old man who was credited +with having committed frightful misdeeds in '93. He lived near the river +in the ruins of a pig-sty. The urchins peeped at him through the cracks +in the walls and threw stones that fell on his miserable bed, where he +lay gasping with catarrh, with long hair, inflamed eyelids, and a tumour +as big as his head on one arm. + +She got him some linen, tried to clean his hovel and dreamed of +installing him in the bake-house without his being in Madame's way. When +the cancer broke, she dressed it every day; sometimes she brought him +some cake and placed him in the sun on a bundle of hay; and the poor old +creature, trembling and drooling, would thank her in his broken voice, +and put out his hands whenever she left him. Finally he died; and she +had a mass said for the repose of his soul. + +That day a great joy came to her: at dinner-time, Madame de +Larsonniere's servant called with the parrot, the cage, and the perch +and chain and lock. A note from the baroness told Madame Aubain that as +her husband had been promoted to a prefecture, they were leaving that +night, and she begged her to accept the bird as a remembrance and a +token of her esteem. + +Since a long time the parrot had been on Felicite's mind, because he +came from America, which reminded her of Victor, and she had approached +the negro on the subject. + +Once even, she had said: + +"How glad Madame would be to have him!" + +The man had repeated this remark to his mistress who, not being able to +keep the bird, took this means of getting rid of it. + + + + +CHAPTER IV + +He was called Loulou. His body was green, his head blue, the tips of his +wings were pink and his breast was golden. + +But he had the tiresome tricks of biting his perch, pulling his feathers +out, scattering refuse and spilling the water of his bath. Madame Aubain +grew tired of him and gave him to Felicite for good. + +She undertook his education, and soon he was able to repeat: "Pretty +boy! Your servant, sir! I salute you, Marie!" His perch was placed near +the door and several persons were astonished that he did not answer to +the name of "Jacquot," for every parrot is called Jacquot. They called +him a goose and a log, and these taunts were like so many dagger thrusts +to Felicite. Strange stubbornness of the bird which would not talk when +people watched him! + +Nevertheless, he sought society; for on Sunday, when the ladies +Rochefeuille, Monsieur de Houppeville and the new habitues, Onfroy, the +chemist, Monsieur Varin and Captain Mathieu, dropped in for their game +of cards, he struck the window-panes with his wings and made such a +racket that it was impossible to talk. + +Bourais' face must have appeared very funny to Loulou. As soon as he +saw him he would begin to roar. His voice re-echoed in the yard, and +the neighbours would come to the windows and begin to laugh, too; and +in order that the parrot might not see him, Monsieur Bourais edged along +the wall, pushed his hat over his eyes to hide his profile, and entered +by the garden door, and the looks he gave the bird lacked affection. +Loulou, having thrust his head into the butcher-boy's basket, received +a slap, and from that time he always tried to nip his enemy. Fabu +threatened to ring his neck, although he was not cruelly inclined, +notwithstanding his big whiskers and tattooings. On the contrary, he +rather liked the bird, and, out of devilry, tried to teach him oaths. +Felicite, whom his manner alarmed, put Loulou in the kitchen, took off +his chain and let him walk all over the house. + +When he went downstairs, he rested his beak on the steps, lifted his +right foot and then his left one; but his mistress feared that such +feats would give him vertigo. He became ill and was unable to eat. There +was a small growth under his tongue like those chickens are sometimes +afflicted with. Felicite pulled it off with her nails and cured him. +One day, Paul was imprudent enough to blow the smoke of his cigar in his +face; another time, Madame Lormeau was teasing him with the tip of her +umbrella and he swallowed the tip. Finally he got lost. + +She had put him on the grass to cool him and went away only for a +second; when she returned, she found no parrot! She hunted among the +bushes, on the bank of the river, and on the roofs, without paying any +attention to Madame Aubain who screamed at her: "Take care! you must be +insane!" Then she searched every garden in Pont-l'Eveque and stopped the +passers-by to inquire of them: "Haven't you perhaps seen my parrot?" +To those who had never seen the parrot, she described him minutely. +Suddenly she thought she saw something green fluttering behind the mills +at the foot of the hill. But when she was at the top of the hill she +could not see it. A hod-carrier told her that he had just seen the bird +in Saint-Melaine, in Mother Simon's store. She rushed to the place. The +people did not know what she was talking about. At last she came home, +exhausted, with her slippers worn to shreds, and despair in her heart. +She sat down on the bench near Madame and was telling of her search when +presently a light weight dropped on her shoulder--Loulou! What the deuce +had he been doing? Perhaps he had just taken a little walk around the +town! + +She did not easily forget her scare; in fact, she never got over it. In +consequence of a cold, she caught a sore throat; and some time later +she had an earache. Three years later she was stone deaf, and spoke in +a very loud voice even in church. Although her sins might have been +proclaimed throughout the diocese without any shame to herself, or ill +effects to the community, the cure thought it advisable to receive her +confession in the vestry-room. + +Imaginary buzzings also added to her bewilderment. Her mistress often +said to her: "My goodness, how stupid you are!" and she would answer: +"Yes, Madame," and look for something. + +The narrow circle of her ideas grew more restricted than it already was; +the bellowing of the oxen, the chime of the bells no longer reached her +intelligence. All things moved silently, like ghosts. Only one noise +penetrated her ears; the parrot's voice. + +As if to divert her mind, he reproduced for her the tick-tack of the +spit in the kitchen, the shrill cry of the fish-vendors, the saw of the +carpenter who had a shop opposite, and when the door-bell rang, he would +imitate Madame Aubain: "Felicite! go to the front door." + +They held conversations together, Loulou repeating the three phrases +of his repertory over and over, Felicite replying by words that had +no greater meaning, but in which she poured out her feelings. In her +isolation, the parrot was almost a son, a love. He climbed upon her +fingers, pecked at her lips, clung to her shawl, and when she rocked her +head to and fro like a nurse, the big wings of her cap and the wings of +the bird flapped in unison. When clouds gathered on the horizon and the +thunder rumbled, Loulou would scream, perhaps because he remembered the +storms in his native forests. The dripping of the rain would excite him +to frenzy; he flapped around, struck the ceiling with his wings, upset +everything, and would finally fly into the garden to play. Then he would +come back into the room, light on one of the andirons, and hop around in +order to get dry. + +One morning during the terrible winter of 1837, when she had put him in +front of the fire-place on account of the cold, she found him dead in +his cage, hanging to the wire bars with his head down. He had probably +died of congestion. But she believed that he had been poisoned, and +although she had no proofs whatever, her suspicion rested on Fabu. + +She wept so sorely that her mistress said: "Why don't you have him +stuffed?" + +She asked the advice of the chemist, who had always been kind to the +bird. + +He wrote to Havre for her. A certain man named Fellacher consented to do +the work. But, as the diligence driver often lost parcels entrusted to +him, Felicite resolved to take her pet to Honfleur herself. + +Leafless apple-trees lined the edges of the road. The ditches were +covered with ice. The dogs on the neighbouring farms barked; and +Felicite, with her hands beneath her cape, her little black sabots and +her basket, trotted along nimbly in the middle of the sidewalk. She +crossed the forest, passed by the Haut-Chene, and reached Saint-Gatien. + +Behind her, in a cloud of dust and impelled by the steep incline, a +mail-coach drawn by galloping horses advanced like a whirlwind. When he +saw a woman in the middle of the road, who did not get out of the +way, the driver stood up in his seat and shouted to her and so did +the postilion, while the four horses, which he could not hold back, +accelerated their pace; the two leaders were almost upon her; with +a jerk of the reins he threw them to one side, but, furious at the +incident, he lifted his big whip and lashed her from her head to her +feet with such violence that she fell to the ground unconscious. + +Her first thought, when she recovered her senses, was to open the +basket. Loulou was unharmed. She felt a sting on her right cheek; when +she took her hand away it was red, for the blood was flowing. + +She sat down on a pile of stones, and sopped her cheek with her +handkerchief; then she ate a crust of bread she had put in her basket, +and consoled herself by looking at the bird. + +Arriving at the top of Ecquemanville, she saw the lights of Honfleur +shining in the distance like so many stars; further on, the ocean spread +out in a confused mass. Then a weakness came over her; the misery of her +childhood, the disappointment of her first love, the departure of her +nephew, the death of Virginia; all these things came back to her at +once, and, rising like a swelling tide in her throat, almost choked her. + +Then she wished to speak to the captain of the vessel, and without +stating what she was sending, she gave him some instructions. + +Fellacher kept the parrot a long time. He always promised that it would +be ready for the following week; after six months he announced the +shipment of a case, and that was the end of it. Really, it seemed as +if Loulou would never come back to his home. "They have stolen him," +thought Felicite. + +Finally he arrived, sitting bold upright on a branch which could be +screwed into a mahogany pedestal, with his foot in the air, his head on +one side, and in his beak a nut which the naturalist, from love of the +sumptuous, had gilded. She put him in her room. + +This place, to which only a chosen few were admitted, looked like a +chapel and a second-hand shop, so filled was it with devotional and +heterogeneous things. The door could not be opened easily on account of +the presence of a large wardrobe. Opposite the window that looked out +into the garden, a bull's-eye opened on the yard; a table was placed by +the cot and held a wash-basin, two combs, and a piece of blue soap in +a broken saucer. On the walls were rosaries, medals, a number of Holy +Virgins, and a holy-water basin made out of a cocoanut; on the bureau, +which was covered with a napkin like an altar, stood the box of +shells that Victor had given her; also a watering-can and a balloon, +writing-books, the engraved geography and a pair of shoes; on the +nail which held the mirror, hung Virginia's little plush hat! Felicite +carried this sort of respect so far that she even kept one of Monsieur's +old coats. All the things which Madame Aubain discarded, Felicite begged +for her own room. Thus, she had artificial flowers on the edge of the +bureau, and the picture of the Comte d'Artois in the recess of the +window. By means of a board, Loulou was set on a portion of the chimney +which advanced into the room. Every morning when she awoke, she saw +him in the dim light of dawn and recalled bygone days and the smallest +details of insignificant actions, without any sense of bitterness or +grief. + +As she was unable to communicate with people, she lived in a sort of +somnambulistic torpor. The processions of Corpus-Christi Day seemed to +wake her up. She visited the neighbours to beg for candlesticks and mats +so as to adorn the temporary altars in the street. + +In church, she always gazed at the Holy Ghost, and noticed that there +was something about it that resembled a parrot. The likenesses appeared +even more striking on a coloured picture by Espinal, representing the +baptism of our Saviour. With his scarlet wings and emerald body, it was +really the image of Loulou. Having bought the picture, she hung it near +the one of the Comte d'Artois so that she could take them in at one +glance. + +They associated in her mind, the parrot becoming sanctified through the +neighbourhood of the Holy Ghost, and the latter becoming more lifelike +in her eyes, and more comprehensible. In all probability the Father had +never chosen as messenger a dove, as the latter has no voice, but rather +one of Loulou's ancestors. And Felicite said her prayers in front of the +coloured picture, though from time to time she turned slightly towards +the bird. + +She desired very much to enter in the ranks of the "Daughters of the +Virgin." But Madame Aubain dissuaded her from it. + +A most important event occurred: Paul's marriage. + +After being first a notary's clerk, then in business, then in the +customs, and a tax collector, and having even applied for a position +in the administration of woods and forests, he had at last, when he +was thirty-six years old, by a divine inspiration, found his vocation: +registrature! and he displayed such a high ability that an inspector had +offered him his daughter and his influence. + +Paul, who had become quite settled, brought his bride to visit his +mother. + +But she looked down upon the customs of Pont-l'Eveque, put on airs, and +hurt Felicite's feelings. Madame Aubain felt relieved when she left. + +The following week they learned of Monsieur Bourais' death in an inn. +There were rumours of suicide, which were confirmed; doubts concerning +his integrity arose. Madame Aubain looked over her accounts and soon +discovered his numerous embezzlements; sales of wood which had been +concealed from her, false receipts, etc. Furthermore, he had an +illegitimate child, and entertained a friendship for "a person in +Dozule." + +These base actions affected her very much. In March, 1853, she developed +a pain in her chest; her tongue looked as if it were coated with smoke, +and the leeches they applied did not relieve her oppression; and on the +ninth evening she died, being just seventy-two years old. + +People thought that she was younger, because her hair, which she wore in +bands framing her pale face, was brown. Few friends regretted her loss, +for her manner was so haughty that she did not attract them. Felicite +mourned for her as servants seldom mourn for their masters. The fact +that Madame should die before herself perplexed her mind and seemed +contrary to the order of things, and absolutely monstrous and +inadmissible. Ten days later (the time to journey from Besancon), the +heirs arrived. Her daughter-in-law ransacked the drawers, kept some of +the furniture, and sold the rest; then they went back to their own home. + +Madame's armchair, foot-warmer, work-table, the eight chairs, everything +was gone! The places occupied by the pictures formed yellow squares on +the walls. They had taken the two little beds, and the wardrobe had been +emptied of Virginia's belongings! Felicite went upstairs, overcome with +grief. + +The following day a sign was posted on the door; the chemist screamed in +her ear that the house was for sale. + +For a moment she tottered, and had to sit down. + +What hurt her most was to give up her room,--so nice for poor Loulou! +She looked at him in despair and implored the Holy Ghost, and it was +this way that she contracted the idolatrous habit of saying her prayers +kneeling in front of the bird. Sometimes the sun fell through the window +on his glass eye, and lighted a spark in it which sent Felicite into +ecstasy. + +Her mistress had left her an income of three hundred and eighty francs. +The garden supplied her with vegetables. As for clothes, she had enough +to last her till the end of her days, and she economised on the light by +going to bed at dusk. + +She rarely went out, in order to avoid passing in front of the +second-hand dealer's shop where there was some of the old furniture. +Since her fainting spell, she dragged her leg, and as her strength was +failing rapidly, old Mother Simon, who had lost her money in the grocery +business, came very morning to chop the wood and pump the water. + +Her eyesight grew dim. She did not open the shutters after that. Many +years passed. But the house did not sell or rent. Fearing that she would +be put out, Felicite did not ask for repairs. The laths of the roof were +rotting away, and during one whole winter her bolster was wet. After +Easter she spit blood. + +Then Mother Simon went for a doctor. Felicite wished to know what her +complaint was. But, being too deaf to hear, she caught only one word: +"Pneumonia." She was familiar with it and gently answered:--"Ah! like +Madame," thinking it quite natural that she should follow her mistress. + +The time for the altars in the street drew near. + +The first one was always erected at the foot of the hill, the second +in front of the post-office, and the third in the middle of the street. +This position occasioned some rivalry among the women and they finally +decided upon Madame Aubain's yard. + +Felicite's fever grew worse. She was sorry that she could not do +anything for the altar. If she could, at least, have contributed +something towards it! Then she thought of the parrot. Her neighbours +objected that it would not be proper. But the cure gave his consent +and she was so grateful for it that she begged him to accept after her +death, her only treasure, Loulou. From Tuesday until Saturday, the day +before the event, she coughed more frequently. In the evening her face +was contracted, her lips stuck to her gums and she began to vomit; and +on the following day, she felt so low that she called for a priest. + +Three neighbours surrounded her when the dominie administered the +Extreme Unction. Afterwards she said that she wished to speak to Fabu. + +He arrived in his Sunday clothes, very ill at ease among the funereal +surroundings. + +"Forgive me," she said, making an effort to extend her arm, "I believed +it was you who killed him!" + +What did such accusations mean? Suspect a man like him of murder! And +Fabu became excited and was about to make trouble. + +"Don't you see she is not in her right mind?" + +From time to time Felicite spoke to shadows. The women left her and +Mother Simon sat down to breakfast. + +A little later, she took Loulou and holding him up to Felicite: + +"Say good-bye to him, now!" she commanded. + +Although he was not a corpse, he was eaten up by worms; one of his wings +was broken and the wadding was coming out of his body. But Felicite was +blind now, and she took him and laid him against her cheek. Then Mother +Simon removed him in order to set him on the altar. + + + + +CHAPTER V + +The grass exhaled an odour of summer; flies buzzed in the air, the sun +shone on the river and warmed the slated roof. Old Mother Simon had +returned to Felicite and was peacefully falling asleep. + +The ringing of bells woke her; the people were coming out of church. +Felicite's delirium subsided. By thinking of the procession, she was +able to see it as if she had taken part in it. All the school-children, +the singers and the firemen walked on the sidewalks, while in the middle +of the street came first the custodian of the church with his halberd, +then the beadle with a large cross, the teacher in charge of the boys +and a sister escorting the little girls; three of the smallest ones, +with curly heads, threw rose leaves into the air; the deacon with +outstretched arms conducted the music; and two incense-bearers turned +with each step they took toward the Holy Sacrament, which was carried by +M. le Cure, attired in his handsome chasuble and walking under a canopy +of red velvet supported by four men. A crowd of people followed, jammed +between the walls of the houses hung with white sheets; at last the +procession arrived at the foot of the hill. + +A cold sweat broke out on Felicite's forehead. Mother Simon wiped it +away with a cloth, saying inwardly that some day she would have to go +through the same thing herself. + +The murmur of the crowd grew louder, was very distinct for a moment and +then died away. A volley of musketry shook the window-panes. It was the +postilions saluting the Sacrament. Felicite rolled her eyes, and said as +loudly as she could: + +"Is he all right?" meaning the parrot. + +Her death agony began. A rattle that grew more and more rapid shook her +body. Froth appeared at the corners of her mouth, and her whole frame +trembled. In a little while could be heard the music of the bass +horns, the clear voices of the children and the men's deeper notes. At +intervals all was still, and their shoes sounded like a herd of cattle +passing over the grass. + +The clergy appeared in the yard. Mother Simon climbed on a chair to +reach the bull's-eye, and in this manner could see the altar. It was +covered with a lace cloth and draped with green wreaths. In the middle +stood a little frame containing relics; at the corners were two little +orange-trees, and all along the edge were silver candlesticks, porcelain +vases containing sun-flowers, lilies, peonies, and tufts of hydrangeas. +This mount of bright colours descended diagonally from the first floor +to the carpet that covered the sidewalk. Rare objects arrested one's +eye. A golden sugar-bowl was crowned with violets, earrings set with +Alencon stones were displayed on green moss, and two Chinese screens +with their bright landscapes were near by. Loulou, hidden beneath +roses, showed nothing but his blue head which looked like a piece of +lapis-lazuli. + +The singers, the canopy-bearers and the children lined up against the +sides of the yard. Slowly the priest ascended the steps and placed his +shining sun on the lace cloth. Everybody knelt. There was deep silence; +and the censers slipping on their chains were swung high in the air. A +blue vapour rose in Felicite's room. She opened her nostrils and inhaled +with a mystic sensuousness; then she closed her lids. Her lips smiled. +The beats of her heart grew fainter and fainter, and vaguer, like a +fountain giving out, like an echo dying away;--and when she exhaled her +last breath, she thought she saw in the half-opened heavens a gigantic +parrot hovering above her head. + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of A Simple Soul, by Gustave Flaubert + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK A SIMPLE SOUL *** + +***** This file should be named 1253.txt or 1253.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + http://www.gutenberg.org/1/2/5/1253/ + +Produced by Dagny, John Bickers and David Widger + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. 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FOR PUBLIC DOMAIN ETEXTS*Ver.04.29.93*END* + + + + + +Etext prepared by John Bickers, jbickers@templar.actrix.gen.nz +and Dagny, dagnyj@hotmail.com + + + + + +A SIMPLE SOUL +By Gustave Flaubert + + + + +CHAPTER I + +For half a century the housewives of Pont-l'Eveque had envied Madame +Aubain her servant Felicite. + +For a hundred francs a year, she cooked and did the housework, washed, +ironed, mended, harnessed the horse, fattened the poultry, made the +butter and remained faithful to her mistress--although the latter was +by no means an agreeable person. + +Madame Aubain had married a comely youth without any money, who died +in the beginning of 1809, leaving her with two young children and a +number of debts. She sold all her property excepting the farm of +Toucques and the farm of Geffosses, the income of which barely +amounted to 5,000 francs; then she left her house in Saint-Melaine, +and moved into a less pretentious one which had belonged to her +ancestors and stood back of the market-place. This house, with its +slate-covered roof, was built between a passage-way and a narrow +street that led to the river. The interior was so unevenly graded that +it caused people to stumble. A narrow hall separated the kitchen from +the parlour, where Madame Aubain sat all day in a straw armchair near +the window. Eight mahogany chairs stood in a row against the white +wainscoting. An old piano, standing beneath a barometer, was covered +with a pyramid of old books and boxes. On either side of the yellow +marble mantelpiece, in Louis XV. style, stood a tapestry armchair. The +clock represented a temple of Vesta; and the whole room smelled musty, +as it was on a lower level than the garden. + +On the first floor was Madame's bed-chamber, a large room papered in a +flowered design and containing the portrait of Monsieur dressed in the +costume of a dandy. It communicated with a smaller room, in which +there were two little cribs, without any mattresses. Next, came the +parlour (always closed), filled with furniture covered with sheets. +Then a hall, which led to the study, where books and papers were piled +on the shelves of a book-case that enclosed three quarters of the big +black desk. Two panels were entirely hidden under pen-and-ink +sketches, Gouache landscapes and Audran engravings, relics of better +times and vanished luxury. On the second floor, a garret-window +lighted Felicite's room, which looked out upon the meadows. + +She arose at daybreak, in order to attend mass, and she worked without +interruption until night; then, when dinner was over, the dishes +cleared away and the door securely locked, she would bury the log +under the ashes and fall asleep in front of the hearth with a rosary +in her hand. Nobody could bargain with greater obstinacy, and as for +cleanliness, the lustre on her brass sauce-pans was the envy and +despair of other servants. She was most economical, and when she ate +she would gather up crumbs with the tip of her finger, so that nothing +should be wasted of the loaf of bread weighing twelve pounds which was +baked especially for her and lasted three weeks. + +Summer and winter she wore a dimity kerchief fastened in the back with +a pin, a cap which concealed her hair, a red skirt, grey stockings, +and an apron with a bib like those worn by hospital nurses. + +Her face was thin and her voice shrill. When she was twenty-five, she +looked forty. After she had passed fifty, nobody could tell her age; +erect and silent always, she resembled a wooden figure working +automatically. + + + + +CHAPTER II + +Like every other woman, she had had an affair of the heart. Her +father, who was a mason, was killed by falling from a scaffolding. +Then her mother died and her sisters went their different ways; a +farmer took her in, and while she was quite small, let her keep cows +in the fields. She was clad in miserable rags, beaten for the +slightest offence and finally dismissed for a theft of thirty sous +which she did not commit. She took service on another farm where she +tended the poultry; and as she was well thought of by her master, her +fellow-workers soon grew jealous. + +One evening in August (she was then eighteen years old), they +persuaded her to accompany them to the fair at Colleville. She was +immediately dazzled by the noise, the lights in the trees, the +brightness of the dresses, the laces and gold crosses, and the crowd +of people all hopping at the same time. She was standing modestly at a +distance, when presently a young man of well-to-do appearance, who had +been leaning on the pole of a wagon and smoking his pipe, approached +her, and asked her for a dance. He treated her to cider and cake, +bought her a silk shawl, and then, thinking she had guessed his +purpose, offered to see her home. When they came to the end of a field +he threw her down brutally. But she grew frightened and screamed, and +he walked off. + +One evening, on the road leading to Beaumont, she came upon a wagon +loaded with hay, and when she overtook it, she recognised Theodore. He +greeted her calmly, and asked her to forget what had happened between +them, as it "was all the fault of the drink." + +She did not know what to reply and wished to run away. + +Presently he began to speak of the harvest and of the notables of the +village; his father had left Colleville and bought the farm of Les +Ecots, so that now they would be neighbours. "Ah!" she exclaimed. He +then added that his parents were looking around for a wife for him, +but that he, himself, was not so anxious and preferred to wait for a +girl who suited him. She hung her head. He then asked her whether she +had ever thought of marrying. She replied, smilingly, that it was +wrong of him to make fun of her. "Oh! no, I am in earnest," he said, +and put his left arm around her waist while they sauntered along. The +air was soft, the stars were bright, and the huge load of hay +oscillated in front of them, drawn by four horses whose ponderous +hoofs raised clouds of dust. Without a word from their driver they +turned to the right. He kissed her again and she went home. The +following week, Theodore obtained meetings. + +They met in yards, behind walls or under isolated trees. She was not +ignorant, as girls of well-to-do families are--for the animals had +instructed her;--but her reason and her instinct of honour kept her +from falling. Her resistance exasperated Theodore's love and so in +order to satisfy it (or perchance ingenuously), he offered to marry +her. She would not believe him at first, so he made solemn promises. +But, in a short time he mentioned a difficulty; the previous year, his +parents had purchased a substitute for him; but any day he might be +drafted and the prospect of serving in the army alarmed him greatly. +To Felicite his cowardice appeared a proof of his love for her, and +her devotion to him grew stronger. When she met him, he would torture +her with his fears and his entreaties. At last, he announced that he +was going to the prefect himself for information, and would let her +know everything on the following Sunday, between eleven o'clock and +midnight. + +When the time grew near, she ran to meet her lover. + +But instead of Theodore, one of his friends was at the meeting-place. + +He informed her that she would never see her sweetheart again; for, in +order to escape the conscription, he had married a rich old woman, +Madame Lehoussais, of Toucques. + +The poor girl's sorrow was frightful. She threw herself on the ground, +she cried and called on the Lord, and wandered around desolately until +sunrise. Then she went back to the farm, declared her intention of +leaving, and at the end of the month, after she had received her +wages, she packed all her belongings in a handkerchief and started for +Pont-l'Eveque. + +In front of the inn, she met a woman wearing widow's weeds, and upon +questioning her, learned that she was looking for a cook. The girl did +not know very much, but appeared so willing and so modest in her +requirements, that Madame Aubain finally said: + +"Very well, I will give you a trial." + +And half an hour later Felicite was installed in her house. + +At first she lived in a constant anxiety that was caused by "the style +of the household" and the memory of "Monsieur," that hovered over +everything. Paul and Virginia, the one aged seven, and the other +barely four, seemed made of some precious material; she carried them +pig-a-back, and was greatly mortified when Madame Aubain forbade her +to kiss them every other minute. + +But in spite of all this, she was happy. The comfort of her new +surroundings had obliterated her sadness. + +Every Thursday, friends of Madame Aubain dropped in for a game of +cards, and it was Felicite's duty to prepare the table and heat the +foot-warmers. They arrived at exactly eight o'clock and departed +before eleven. + +Every Monday morning, the dealer in second-hand goods, who lived under +the alley-way, spread out his wares on the sidewalk. Then the city +would be filled with a buzzing of voices in which the neighing of +horses, the bleating of lambs, the grunting of pigs, could be +distinguished, mingled with the sharp sound of wheels on the cobble- +stones. About twelve o'clock, when the market was in full swing, there +appeared at the front door a tall, middle-aged peasant, with a hooked +nose and a cap on the back of his head; it was Robelin, the farmer of +Geffosses. Shortly afterwards came Liebard, the farmer of Toucques, +short, rotund and ruddy, wearing a grey jacket and spurred boots. + +Both men brought their landlady either chickens or cheese. Felicite +would invariably thwart their ruses and they held her in great +respect. + +At various times, Madame Aubain received a visit from the Marquis de +Gremanville, one of her uncles, who was ruined and lived at Falaise on +the remainder of his estates. He always came at dinner-time and +brought an ugly poodle with him, whose paws soiled their furniture. In +spite of his efforts to appear a man of breeding (he even went so far +as to raise his hat every time he said "My deceased father"), his +habits got the better of him, and he would fill his glass a little too +often and relate broad stories. Felicite would show him out very +politely and say: "You have had enough for this time, Monsieur de +Gremanville! Hoping to see you again!" and would close the door. + +She opened it gladly for Monsieur Bourais, a retired lawyer. His bald +head and white cravat, the ruffling of his shirt, his flowing brown +coat, the manner in which he took snuff, his whole person, in fact, +produced in her the kind of awe which we feel when we see +extraordinary persons. As he managed Madame's estates, he spent hours +with her in Monsieur's study; he was in constant fear of being +compromised, had a great regard for the magistracy and some +pretensions to learning. + +In order to facilitate the children's studies, he presented them with +an engraved geography which represented various scenes of the world; +cannibals with feather head-dresses, a gorilla kidnapping a young +girl, Arabs in the desert, a whale being harpooned, etc. + +Paul explained the pictures to Felicite. And, in fact, this was her +only literary education. + +The children's studies were under the direction of a poor devil +employed at the town-hall, who sharpened his pocket-knife on his boots +and was famous for his penmanship. + +When the weather was fine, they went to Geffosses. The house was built +in the centre of the sloping yard; and the sea looked like a grey spot +in the distance. Felicite would take slices of cold meat from the +lunch basket and they would sit down and eat in a room next to the +dairy. This room was all that remained of a cottage that had been torn +down. The dilapidated wall-paper trembled in the drafts. Madame +Aubain, overwhelmed by recollections, would hang her head, while the +children were afraid to open their mouths. Then, "Why don't you go and +play?" their mother would say; and they would scamper off. + +Paul would go to the old barn, catch birds, throw stones into the +pond, or pound the trunks of the trees with a stick till they +resounded like drums. Virginia would feed the rabbits and run to pick +the wild flowers in the fields, and her flying legs would disclose her +little embroidered pantalettes. One autumn evening, they struck out +for home through the meadows. The new moon illumined part of the sky +and a mist hovered like a veil over the sinuosities of the river. +Oxen, lying in the pastures, gazed mildly at the passing persons. In +the third field, however, several of them got up and surrounded them. +"Don't be afraid," cried Felicite; and murmuring a sort of lament she +passed her hand over the back of the nearest ox; he turned away and +the others followed. But when they came to the next pasture, they +heard frightful bellowing. + +It was a bull which was hidden from them by the fog. He advanced +towards the two women, and Madame Aubain prepared to flee for her +life. "No, no! not so fast," warned Felicite. Still they hurried on, +for they could hear the noisy breathing of the bull behind them. His +hoofs pounded the grass like hammers, and presently he began to +gallop! Felicite turned around and threw patches of grass in his eyes. +He hung his head, shook his horns and bellowed with fury. Madame +Aubain and the children, huddled at the end of the field, were trying +to jump over the ditch. Felicite continued to back before the bull, +blinding him with dirt, while she shouted to them to make haste. + +Madame Aubain finally slid into the ditch, after shoving first +Virginia and then Paul into it, and though she stumbled several times +she managed, by dint of courage, to climb the other side of it. + +The bull had driven Felicite up against a fence; the foam from his +muzzle flew in her face and in another minute he would have +disembowelled her. She had just time to slip between two bars and the +huge animal, thwarted, paused. + +For years, this occurrence was a topic of conversation in Pont- +l'Eveque. But Felicite took no credit to herself, and probably never +knew that she had been heroic. + +Virginia occupied her thoughts solely, for the shock she had sustained +gave her a nervous affection, and the physician, M. Poupart, +prescribed the salt-water bathing at Trouville. In those days, +Trouville was not greatly patronised. Madame Aubain gathered +information, consulted Bourais, and made preparations as if they were +going on an extended trip. + +The baggage was sent the day before on Liebard's cart. On the +following morning, he brought around two horses, one of which had a +woman's saddle with a velveteen back to it, while on the crupper of +the other was a rolled shawl that was to be used for a seat. Madame +Aubain mounted the second horse, behind Liebard. Felicite took charge +of the little girl, and Paul rode M. Lechaptois' donkey, which had +been lent for the occasion on the condition that they should be +careful of it. + +The road was so bad that it took two hours to cover the eight miles. +The two horses sank knee-deep into the mud and stumbled into ditches; +sometimes they had to jump over them. In certain places, Liebard's +mare stopped abruptly. He waited patiently till she started again, and +talked of the people whose estates bordered the road, adding his own +moral reflections to the outline of their histories. Thus, when they +were passing through Toucques, and came to some windows draped with +nasturtiums, he shrugged his shoulders and said: "There's a woman, +Madame Lehoussais, who, instead of taking a young man--" Felicite +could not catch what followed; the horses began to trot, the donkey to +gallop, and they turned into a lane; then a gate swung open, two farm- +hands appeared and they all dismounted at the very threshold of the +farm-house. + +Mother Liebard, when she caught sight of her mistress, was lavish with +joyful demonstrations. She got up a lunch which comprised a leg of +mutton, tripe, sausages, a chicken fricassee, sweet cider, a fruit +tart and some preserved prunes; then to all this the good woman added +polite remarks about Madame, who appeared to be in better health, +Mademoiselle, who had grown to be "superb," and Paul, who had become +singularly sturdy; she spoke also of their deceased grandparents, whom +the Liebards had known, for they had been in the service of the family +for several generations. + +Like its owners, the farm had an ancient appearance. The beams of the +ceiling were mouldy, the walls black with smoke and the windows grey +with dust. The oak sideboard was filled with all sorts of utensils, +plates, pitchers, tin bowls, wolf-traps. The children laughed when +they saw a huge syringe. There was not a tree in the yard that did not +have mushrooms growing around its foot, or a bunch of mistletoe +hanging in its branches. Several of the trees had been blown down, but +they had started to grow in the middle and all were laden with +quantities of apples. The thatched roofs, which were of unequal +thickness, looked like brown velvet and could resist the fiercest +gales. But the wagon-shed was fast crumbling to ruins. Madame Aubain +said that she would attend to it, and then gave orders to have the +horses saddled. + +It took another thirty minutes to reach Trouville. The little caravan +dismounted in order to pass Les Ecores, a cliff that overhangs the +bay, and a few minutes later, at the end of the dock, they entered the +yard of the Golden Lamb, an inn kept by Mother David. + +During the first few days, Virginia felt stronger, owing to the change +of air and the action of the sea-baths. She took them in her little +chemise, as she had no bathing suit, and afterwards her nurse dressed +her in the cabin of a customs officer, which was used for that purpose +by other bathers. + +In the afternoon, they would take the donkey and go to the Roches- +Noires, near Hennequeville. The path led at first through undulating +grounds, and thence to a plateau, where pastures and tilled fields +alternated. At the edge of the road, mingling with the brambles, grew +holly bushes, and here and there stood large dead trees whose branches +traced zigzags upon the blue sky. + +Ordinarily, they rested in a field facing the ocean, with Deauville on +their left, and Havre on their right. The sea glittered brightly in +the sun and was as smooth as a mirror, and so calm that they could +scarcely distinguish its murmur; sparrows chirped joyfully and the +immense canopy of heaven spread over it all. Madame Aubain brought out +her sewing, and Virginia amused herself by braiding reeds; Felicite +wove lavender blossoms, while Paul was bored and wished to go home. + +Sometimes they crossed the Toucques in a boat, and started to hunt for +sea-shells. The outgoing tide exposed star-fish and sea-urchins, and +the children tried to catch the flakes of foam which the wind blew +away. The sleepy waves lapping the sand unfurled themselves along the +shore that extended as far as the eye could see, but where land began, +it was limited by the downs which separated it from the "Swamp," a +large meadow shaped like a hippodrome. When they went home that way, +Trouville, on the slope of a hill below, grew larger and larger as +they advanced, and, with all its houses of unequal height, seemed to +spread out before them in a sort of giddy confusion. + +When the heat was too oppressive, they remained in their rooms. The +dazzling sunlight cast bars of light between the shutters. Not a sound +in the village, not a soul on the sidewalk. This silence intensified +the tranquility of everything. In the distance, the hammers of some +calkers pounded the hull of a ship, and the sultry breeze brought them +an odour of tar. + +The principal diversion consisted in watching the return of the +fishing-smacks. As soon as they passed the beacons, they began to ply +to windward. The sails were lowered to one third of the masts, and +with their fore-sails swelled up like balloons they glided over the +waves and anchored in the middle of the harbour. Then they crept up +alongside of the dock and the sailors threw the quivering fish over +the side of the boat; a line of carts was waiting for them, and women +with white caps sprang forward to receive the baskets and embrace +their men-folk. + +One day, one of them spoke to Felicite, who, after a little while, +returned to the house gleefully. She had found one of her sisters, and +presently Nastasie Barette, wife of Leroux, made her appearance, +holding an infant in her arms, another child by the hand, while on her +left was a little cabin-boy with his hands in his pockets and his cap +on his ear. + +At the end of fifteen minutes, Madame Aubain bade her go. + +They always hung around the kitchen, or approached Felicite when she +and the children were out walking. The husband, however, did not show +himself. + +Felicite developed a great fondness for them; she bought them a stove, +some shirts and a blanket; it was evident that they exploited her. Her +foolishness annoyed Madame Aubain, who, moreover did not like the +nephew's familiarity, for he called her son "thou";--and, as Virginia +began to cough and the season was over, she decided to return to Pont- +l'Eveque. + +Monsieur Bourais assisted her in the choice of a college. The one at +Caen was considered the best. So Paul was sent away and bravely said +good-bye to them all, for he was glad to go to live in a house where +he would have boy companions. + +Madame Aubain resigned herself to the separation from her son because +it was unavoidable. Virginia brooded less and less over it. Felicite +regretted the noise he made, but soon a new occupation diverted her +mind; beginning from Christmas, she accompanied the little girl to her +catechism lesson every day. + + + + +CHAPTER III + +After she had made a curtsey at the threshold, she would walk up the +aisle between the double lines of chairs, open Madame Aubain's pew, +sit down and look around. + +Girls and boys, the former on the right, the latter on the left-hand +side of the church, filled the stalls of the choir; the priest stood +beside the reading-desk; on one stained window of the side-aisle the +Holy Ghost hovered over the Virgin; on another one, Mary knelt before +the Child Jesus, and behind the alter, a wooden group represented +Saint Michael felling the dragon. + +The priest first read a condensed lesson of sacred history. Felicite +evoked Paradise, the Flood, the Tower of Babel, the blazing cities, +the dying nations, the shattered idols; and out of this she developed +a great respect for the Almighty and a great fear of His wrath. Then, +when she had listened to the Passion, she wept. Why had they crucified +Him who loved little children, nourished the people, made the blind +see, and who, out of humility, had wished to be born among the poor, +in a stable? The sowings, the harvests, the wine-presses, all those +familiar things which the Scriptures mention, formed a part of her +life; the word of God sanctified them; and she loved the lambs with +increased tenderness for the sake of the Lamb, and the doves because +of the Holy Ghost. + +She found it hard, however, to think of the latter as a person, for +was it not a bird, a flame, and sometimes only a breath? Perhaps it is +its light that at night hovers over swamps, its breath that propels +the clouds, its voice that renders church-bells harmonious. And +Felicite worshipped devoutly, while enjoying the coolness and the +stillness of the church. + +As for the dogma, she could not understand it and did not even try. +The priest discoursed, the children recited, and she went to sleep, +only to awaken with a start when they were leaving the church and +their wooden shoes clattered on the stone pavement. + +In this way, she learned her catechism, her religious education having +been neglected in her youth; and thenceforth she imitated all +Virginia's religious practices, fasted when she did, and went to +confession with her. At the Corpus-Christi Day they both decorated an +altar. + +She worried in advance over Virginia's first communion. She fussed +about the shoes, the rosary, the book and the gloves. With what +nervousness she helped the mother dress the child! + +During the entire ceremony, she felt anguished. Monsieur Bourais hid +part of the choir from view, but directly in front of her, the flock +of maidens, wearing white wreaths over their lowered veils, formed a +snow-white field, and she recognised her darling by the slenderness of +her neck and her devout attitude. The bell tinkled. All the heads bent +and there was a silence. Then, at the peals of the organ the singers +and the worshippers struck up the Agnes Dei; the boys' procession +began; behind them came the girls. With clasped hands, they advanced +step by step to the lighted altar, knelt at the first step, received +one by one the Host, and returned to their seats in the same order. +When Virginia's turn came, Felicite leaned forward to watch her, and +through that imagination which springs from true affection, she at +once became the child, whose face and dress became hers, whose heart +beat in her bosom, and when Virginia opened her mouth and closed her +lids, she did likewise and came very near fainting. + +The following day, she presented herself early at the church so as to +receive communion from the cure. She took it with the proper feeling, +but did not experience the same delight as on the previous day. + +Madame Aubain wished to make an accomplished girl of her daughter; and +as Guyot could not teach English or music, she decided to send her to +the Ursulines at Honfleur. + +The child made no objection, but Felicite sighed and thought Madame +was heartless. Then, she thought that perhaps her mistress was right, +as these things were beyond her sphere. Finally, one day, an old +fiacre stopped in front of the door and a nun stepped out. Felicite +put Virginia's luggage on top of the carriage, gave the coachman some +instructions, and smuggled six jars of jam, a dozen pears and a bunch +of violets under the seat. + +At the last minute, Virginia had a fit of sobbing; she embraced her +mother again and again, while the latter kissed her on the forehead, +and said: "Now, be brave, be brave!" The step was pulled up and the +fiacre rumbled off. + +Then Madame Aubain had a fainting spell, and that evening all her +friends, including the two Lormeaus, Madame Lechaptois, the ladies +Rochefeuille, Messieurs de Houppeville and Bourais, called on her and +tendered their sympathy. + +At first the separation proved very painful to her. But her daughter +wrote her three times a week and the other days she, herself, wrote to +Virginia. Then she walked in the garden, read a little, and in this +way managed to fill out the emptiness of the hours. + +Each morning, out of habit, Felicite entered Virginia's room and gazed +at the walls. She missed combing her hair, lacing her shoes, tucking +her in her bed, and the bright face and little hand when they used to +go out for a walk. In order to occupy herself she tried to make lace. +But her clumsy fingers broke the threads; she had no heart for +anything, lost her sleep and "wasted away," as she put it. + +In order to have some distraction, she asked leave to receive the +visits of her nephew Victor. + +He would come on Sunday, after church, with ruddy cheeks and bared +chest, bringing with him the scent of the country. She would set the +table and they would sit down opposite each other, and eat their +dinner; she ate as little as possible, herself, to avoid any extra +expense, but would stuff him so with food that he would finally go to +sleep. At the first stroke of vespers, she would wake him up, brush +his trousers, tie his cravat and walk to church with him, leaning on +his arm with maternal pride. + +His parents always told him to get something out of her, either a +package of brown sugar, or soap, or brandy, and sometimes even money. +He brought her his clothes to mend, and she accepted the task gladly, +because it meant another visit from him. + +In August, his father took him on a coasting-vessel. + +It was vacation time and the arrival of the children consoled +Felicite. But Paul was capricious, and Virginia was growing too old to +be thee-and-thou'd, a fact which seemed to produce a sort of +embarrassment in their relations. + +Victor went successively to Morlaix, to Dunkirk, and to Brighton; +whenever he returned from a trip he would bring her a present. The +first time it was a box of shells; the second, a coffee-cup; the +third, a big doll of ginger-bread. He was growing handsome, had a good +figure, a tiny moustache, kind eyes, and a little leather cap that sat +jauntily on the back of his head. He amused his aunt by telling her +stories mingled with nautical expressions. + +One Monday, the 14th of July, 1819 (she never forgot the date), Victor +announced that he had been engaged on a merchant-vessel and that in +two days he would take the steamer at Honfleur and join his sailer, +which was going to start from Havre very soon. Perhaps he might be +away two years. + +The prospect of his departure filled Felicite with despair, and in +order to bid him farewell, on Wednesday night, after Madame's dinner, +she put on her pattens and trudged the four miles that separated Pont- +l'Eveque from Honfleur. + +When she reached the Calvary, instead of turning to the right, she +turned to the left and lost herself in coal-yards; she had to retrace +her steps; some people she spoke to advised her to hasten. She walked +helplessly around the harbour filled with vessels, and knocked against +hawsers. Presently the ground sloped abruptly, lights flitted to and +fro, and she thought all at once that she had gone mad when she saw +some horses in the sky. + +Others, on the edge of the dock, neighed at the sight of the ocean. A +derrick pulled them up in the air, and dumped them into a boat, where +passengers were bustling about among barrels of cider, baskets of +cheese and bags of meal; chickens cackled, the captain swore and a +cabin-boy rested on the railing, apparently indifferent to his +surroundings. Felicite, who did not recognise him, kept shouting: +"Victor!" He suddenly raised his eyes, but while she was preparing to +rush up to him, they withdrew the gangplank. + +The packet, towed by singing women, glided out of the harbour. Her +hull squeaked and the heavy waves beat up against her sides. The sail +had turned and nobody was visible;--and on the ocean, silvered by the +light of the moon, the vessel formed a black spot that grew dimmer and +dimmer, and finally disappeared. + +When Felicite passed the Calvary again, she felt as if she must +entrust that which was dearest to her to the Lord; and for a long +while she prayed, with uplifted eyes and a face wet with tears. The +city was sleeping; some customs officials were taking the air; and the +water kept pouring through the holes of the dam with a deafening roar. +The town clock struck two. + +The parlour of the convent would not open until morning, and surely a +delay would annoy Madame, so, in spite of her desire to see the other +child, she went home. The maids of the inn were just arising when she +reached Pont-l'Eveque. + +So the poor boy would be on the ocean for months! His previous trips +had not alarmed her. One can come back from England and Brittany; but +America, the colonies, the islands, were all lost in an uncertain +region at the very end of the world. + +From that time on, Felicite thought solely of her nephew. On warm days +she feared he would suffer from thirst, and when it stormed, she was +afraid he would be struck by lightning. When she harkened to the wind +that rattled in the chimney and dislodged the tiles on the roof, she +imagined that he was being buffeted by the same storm, perched on top +of a shattered mast, with his whole body bend backward and covered +with sea-foam; or,--these were recollections of the engraved geography +--he was being devoured by savages, or captured in a forest by apes, +or dying on some lonely coast. She never mentioned her anxieties, +however. + +Madame Aubain worried about her daughter. + +The sisters thought that Virginia was affectionate but delicate. The +slightest emotion enervated her. She had to give up her piano lessons. +Her mother insisted upon regular letters from the convent. One +morning, when the postman failed to come, she grew impatient and began +to pace to and fro, from her chair to the window. It was really +extraordinary! No news since four days! + +In order to console her mistress by her own example, Felicite said: + +"Why, Madame, I haven't had any news since six months!--" + +"From whom?--" + +The servant replied gently: + +"Why--from my nephew." + +"Oh, yes, your nephew!" And shrugging her shoulders, Madame Aubain +continued to pace the floor as if to say: "I did not think of it.-- +Besides, I do not care, a cabin-boy, a pauper!--but my daughter--what +a difference! just think of it!--" + +Felicite, although she had been reared roughly, was very indignant. +Then she forgot about it. + +It appeared quite natural to her that one should lose one's head about +Virginia. + +The two children were of equal importance; they were united in her +heart and their fate was to be the same. + +The chemist informed her that Victor's vessel had reached Havana. He +had read the information in a newspaper. + +Felicite imagined that Havana was a place where people did nothing but +smoke, and that Victor walked around among negroes in a cloud of +tobacco. Could a person, in case of need, return by land? How far was +it from Pont-l'Eveque? In order to learn these things, she questioned +Monsieur Bourais. He reached for his map and began some explanations +concerning longitudes, and smiled with superiority at Felicite's +bewilderment. At last, he took a pencil and pointed out an +imperceptible black point in the scallops of an oval blotch, adding: +"There it is." She bent over the map; the maze of coloured lines hurt +her eyes without enlightening her; and when Bourais asked her what +puzzled her, she requested him to show her the house Victor lived in. +Bourais threw up his hands, sneezed, and then laughed uproariously; +such ignorance delighted his soul; but Felicite failed to understand +the cause of his mirth, she whose intelligence was so limited that she +perhaps expected to see even the picture of her nephew! + +It was two weeks later that Liebard came into the kitchen at market- +time, and handed her a letter from her brother-in-law. As neither of +them could read, she called upon her mistress. + +Madame Aubain, who was counting the stitches of her knitting, laid her +work down beside her, opened the letter, started, and in a low tone +and with a searching look said: "They tell you of a--misfortune. Your +nephew--" + +He had died. The letter told nothing more. + +Felicite dropped on a chair, leaned her head against the back, and +closed her lids; presently they grew pink. Then, with drooping head, +inert hands and staring eyes she repeated at intervals: + +"Poor little chap! poor little chap!" + +Liebard watched her and sighed. Madame Aubain was trembling. + +She proposed to the girl to go to see her sister in Trouville. + +With a single motion, Felicite replied that it was not necessary. + +There was a silence. Old Liebard thought it about time for him to take +leave. + +Then Felicite uttered: + +"They have no sympathy, they do not care!" + +Her head fell forward again, and from time to time, mechanically, she +toyed with the long knitting-needles on the work-table. + +Some women passed through the yard with a basket of wet clothes. + +When she saw them through the window, she suddenly remembered her own +wash; as she had soaked it the day before, she must go and rinse it +now. So she arose and left the room. + +Her tub and her board were on the bank of the Toucques. She threw a +heap of clothes on the ground, rolled up her sleeves and grasped her +bat; and her loud pounding could be heard in the neighbouring gardens. +The meadows were empty, the breeze wrinkled the stream, at the bottom +of which were long grasses that looked like the hair of corpses +floating in the water. She restrained her sorrow and was very brave +until night; but, when she had gone to her own room, she gave way to +it, burying her face in the pillow and pressing her two fists against +her temples. + +A long while afterward, she learned through Victor's captain, the +circumstances which surrounded his death. At the hospital they had +bled him too much, treating him for yellow fever. Four doctors held +him at one time. He died almost instantly, and the chief surgeon had +said: + +"Here goes another one!" + +His parents had always treated him barbarously; she preferred not to +see them again, and they made no advances, either from forgetfulness +or out of innate hardness. + +Virginia was growing weaker. + +A cough, continual fever, oppressive breathing and spots on her cheeks +indicated some serious trouble. Monsieur Popart had advised a sojourn +in Provence. Madame Aubain decided that they would go, and she would +have had her daughter come home at once, had it not been for the +climate of Pont-l'Eveque. + +She made an arrangement with a livery-stable man who drove her over to +the convent every Tuesday. In the garden there was a terrace, from +which the view extends to the Seine. Virginia walked in it, leaning on +her mother's arm and treading the dead vine leaves. Sometimes the sun, +shining through the clouds, made her blink her lids, when she gazed at +the sails in the distance, and let her eyes roam over the horizon from +the chateau of Tancarville to the lighthouses of Havre. Then they +rested on the arbour. Her mother had bought a little cask of fine +Malaga wine, and Virginia, laughing at the idea of becoming +intoxicated, would drink a few drops of it, but never more. + +Her strength returned. Autumn passed. Felicite began to reassure +Madame Aubain. But, one evening, when she returned home after an +errand, she met M. Boupart's coach in front of the door; M. Boupart +himself was standing in the vestibule and Madame Aubain was tying the +strings of her bonnet. "Give me my foot-warmer, my purse and my +gloves; and be quick about it," she said. + +Virginia had congestion of the lungs; perhaps it was desperate. + +"Not yet," said the physician, and both got into the carriage, while +the snow fell in thick flakes. It was almost night and very cold. + +Felicite rushed to the church to light a candle. Then she ran after +the coach which she overtook after an hour's chase, sprang up behind +and held on to the straps. But suddenly a thought crossed her mind: +"The yard had been left open; supposing that burglars got in!" And +down she jumped. + +The next morning, at daybreak, she called at the doctor's. He had been +home, but had left again. Then she waited at the inn, thinking that +strangers might bring her a letter. At last, at daylight she took the +diligence for Lisieux. + +The convent was at the end of a steep and narrow street. When she +arrived about at the middle of it, she heard strange noises, a funeral +knell. "It must be for some one else," thought she; and she pulled the +knocker violently. + +After several minutes had elapsed, she heard footsteps, the door was +half opened and a nun appeared. The good sister, with an air of +compunction, told her that "she had just passed away." And at the same +time the tolling of Saint-Leonard's increased. + +Felicite reached the second floor. Already at the threshold, she +caught sight of Virginia lying on her back, with clasped hands, her +mouth open and her head thrown back, beneath a black crucifix inclined +toward her, and stiff curtains which were less white than her face. +Madame Aubain lay at the foot of the couch, clasping it with her arms +and uttering groans of agony. The Mother Superior was standing on the +right side of the bed. The three candles on the bureau made red blurs, +and the windows were dimmed by the fog outside. The nuns carried +Madame Aubain from the room. + +For two nights, Felicite never left the corpse. She would repeat the +same prayers, sprinkle holy water over the sheets, get up, come back +to the bed and contemplate the body. At the end of the first vigil, +she noticed that the face had taken on a yellow tinge, the lips grew +blue, the nose grew pinched, the eyes were sunken. She kissed them +several times and would not have been greatly astonished had Virginia +opened them; to souls like this the supernatural is always quite +simple. She washed her, wrapped her in a shroud, put her into the +casket, laid a wreath of flowers on her head and arranged her curls. +They were blond and of an extraordinary length for her age. Felicite +cut off a big lock and put half of it into her bosom, resolving never +to part with it. + +The body was taken to Pont-l'Eveque, according to Madame Aubain's +wishes; she followed the hearse in a closed carriage. + +After the ceremony it took three quarters of an hour to reach the +cemetery. Paul, sobbing, headed the procession; Monsieur Bourais +followed, and then came the principle inhabitants of the town, the +women covered with black capes, and Felicite. The memory of her +nephew, and the thought that she had not been able to render him these +honours, made her doubly unhappy, and she felt as if he were being +buried with Virginia. + +Madame Aubain's grief was uncontrollable. At first she rebelled +against God, thinking that he was unjust to have taken away her child +--she who had never done anything wrong, and whose conscience was so +pure! But no! she ought to have taken her South. Other doctors would +have saved her. She accused herself, prayed to be able to join her +child, and cried in the midst of her dreams. Of the latter, one more +especially haunted her. Her husband, dressed like a sailor, had come +back from a long voyage, and with tears in his eyes told her that he +had received the order to take Virginia away. Then they both consulted +about a hiding-place. + +Once she came in from the garden, all upset. A moment before (and she +showed the place), the father and daughter had appeared to her, one +after the other; they did nothing but look at her. + +During several months she remained inert in her room. Felicite scolded +her gently; she must keep up for her son and also for the other one, +for "her memory." + +"Her memory!" replied Madame Aubain, as if she were just awakening, +"Oh! yes, yes, you do not forget her!" This was an allusion to the +cemetery where she had been expressly forbidden to go + +But Felicite went there every day. At four o'clock exactly, she would +go through the town, climb the hill, open the gate and arrive at +Virginia's tomb. It was a small column of pink marble with a flat +stone at its base, and it was surrounded by a little plot enclosed by +chains. The flower-beds were bright with blossoms. Felicite watered +their leaves, renewed the gravel, and knelt on the ground in order to +till the earth properly. When Madame Aubain was able to visit the +cemetery she felt very much relieved and consoled. + +Years passed, all alike and marked by no other events than the return +of the great church holidays: Easter, Assumption, All Saints' Day. +Household happenings constituted the only data to which in later years +they often referred. Thus, in 1825, workmen painted the vestibule; in +1827, a portion of the roof almost killed a man by falling into the +yard. In the summer of 1828, it was Madame's turn to offer the +hallowed bread; at that time, Bourais disappeared mysteriously; and +the old acquaintances, Guyot, Liebard, Madame Lechaptois, Robelin, old +Gremanville, paralysed since a long time, passed away one by one. One +night, the driver of the mail in Pont-l'Eveque announced the +Revolution of July. A few days afterward a new sub-prefect was +nominated, the Baron de Larsonniere, ex-consul in America, who, +besides his wife, had his sister-in-law and her three grown daughters +with him. They were often seen on their lawn, dressed in loose +blouses, and they had a parrot and a negro servant. Madame Aubain +received a call, which she returned promptly. As soon as she caught +sight of them, Felicite would run and notify her mistress. But only +one thing was capable of arousing her: a letter from her son. + +He could not follow any profession as he was absorbed in drinking. His +mother paid his debts and he made fresh ones; and the sighs that she +heaved while she knitted at the window reached the ears of Felicite +who was spinning in the kitchen. + +They walked in the garden together, always speaking of Virginia, and +asking each other if such and such a thing would have pleased her, and +what she would probably have said on this or that occasion. + +All her little belongings were put away in a closet of the room which +held the two little beds. But Madame Aubain looked them over as little +as possible. One summer day, however, she resigned herself to the task +and when she opened the closet the moths flew out. + +Virginia's frocks were hung under a shelf where there were three +dolls, some hoops, a doll-house, and a basic which she had used. +Felicite and Madame Aubain also took out the skirts, the +handkerchiefs, and the stockings and spread them on the beds, before +putting them away again. The sun fell on the piteous things, +disclosing their spots and the creases formed by the motions of the +body. The atmosphere was warm and blue, and a blackbird trilled in the +garden; everything seemed to live in happiness. They found a little +hat of soft brown plush, but it was entirely moth-eaten. Felicite +asked for it. Their eyes met and filled with tears; at last the +mistress opened her arms and the servant threw herself against her +breast and they hugged each other and giving vent to their grief in a +kiss which equalised them for a moment. + +It was the first time that this had ever happened, for Madame Aubain +was not of an expansive nature. Felicite was as grateful for it as if +it had been some favour, and thenceforth loved her with animal-like +devotion and a religious veneration. + +Her kind-heartedness developed. When she heard the drums of a marching +regiment passing through the street, she would stand in the doorway +with a jug of cider and give the soldiers a drink. She nursed cholera +victims. She protected Polish refugees, and one of them even declared +that he wished to marry her. But they quarrelled, for one morning when +she returned from the Angelus she found him in the kitchen coolly +eating a dish which he had prepared for himself during her absence. + +After the Polish refugees, came Colmiche, an old man who was credited +with having committed frightful misdeeds in '93. He lived near the +river in the ruins of a pig-sty. The urchins peeped at him through the +cracks in the walls and threw stones that fell on his miserable bed, +where he lay gasping with catarrh, with long hair, inflamed eyelids, +and a tumour as big as his head on one arm. + +She got him some linen, tried to clean his hovel and dreamed of +installing him in the bake-house without his being in Madame's way. +When the cancer broke, she dressed it every day; sometimes she brought +him some cake and placed him in the sun on a bundle of hay; and the +poor old creature, trembling and drooling, would thank her in his +broken voice, and put out his hands whenever she left him. Finally he +died; and she had a mass said for the repose of his soul. + +That day a great joy came to her: at dinner-time, Madame de +Larsonniere's servant called with the parrot, the cage, and the perch +and chain and lock. A note from the baroness told Madame Aubain that +as her husband had been promoted to a prefecture, they were leaving +that night, and she begged her to accept the bird as a remembrance and +a token of her esteem. + +Since a long time the parrot had been on Felicite's mind, because he +came from America, which reminded her of Victor, and she had +approached the negro on the subject. + +Once even, she had said: + +"How glad Madame would be to have him!" + +The man had repeated this remark to his mistress who, not being able +to keep the bird, took this means of getting rid of it. + + + + +CHAPTER IV + +He was called Loulou. His body was green, his head blue, the tips of +his wings were pink and his breast was golden. + +But he had the tiresome tricks of biting his perch, pulling his +feathers out, scattering refuse and spilling the water of his bath. +Madame Aubain grew tired of him and gave him to Felicite for good. + +She undertook his education, and soon he was able to repeat: "Pretty +boy! Your servant, sir! I salute you, Marie!" His perch was placed +near the door and several persons were astonished that he did not +answer to the name of "Jacquot," for every parrot is called Jacquot. +They called him a goose and a log, and these taunts were like so many +dagger thrusts to Felicite. Strange stubbornness of the bird which +would not talk when people watched him! + +Nevertheless, he sought society; for on Sunday, when the ladies +Rochefeuille, Monsieur de Houppeville and the new habitues, Onfroy, +the chemist, Monsieur Varin and Captain Mathieu, dropped in for their +game of cards, he struck the window-panes with his wings and made such +a racket that it was impossible to talk. + +Bourais' face must have appeared very funny to Loulou. As soon as he +saw him he would begin to roar. His voice re-echoed in the yard, and +the neighbours would come to the windows and begin to laugh, too; and +in order that the parrot might not see him, Monsieur Bourais edged +along the wall, pushed his hat over his eyes to hide his profile, and +entered by the garden door, and the looks he gave the bird lacked +affection. Loulou, having thrust his head into the butcher-boy's +basket, received a slap, and from that time he always tried to nip his +enemy. Fabu threatened to ring his neck, although he was not cruelly +inclined, notwithstanding his big whiskers and tattooings. On the +contrary, he rather liked the bird, and, out of devilry, tried to +teach him oaths. Felicite, whom his manner alarmed, put Loulou in the +kitchen, took off his chain and let him walk all over the house. + +When he went downstairs, he rested his beak on the steps, lifted his +right foot and then his left one; but his mistress feared that such +feats would give him vertigo. He became ill and was unable to eat. +There was a small growth under his tongue like those chickens are +sometimes afflicted with. Felicite pulled it off with her nails and +cured him. One day, Paul was imprudent enough to blow the smoke of his +cigar in his face; another time, Madame Lormeau was teasing him with +the tip of her umbrella and he swallowed the tip. Finally he got lost. + +She had put him on the grass to cool him and went away only for a +second; when she returned, she found no parrot! She hunted among the +bushes, on the bank of the river, and on the roofs, without paying any +attention to Madame Aubain who screamed at her: "Take care! you must +be insane!" Then she searched every garden in Pont-l'Eveque and +stopped the passers-by to inquire of them: "Haven't you perhaps seen +my parrot?" To those who had never seen the parrot, she described him +minutely. Suddenly she thought she saw something green fluttering +behind the mills at the foot of the hill. But when she was at the top +of the hill she could not see it. A hod-carrier told her that he had +just seen the bird in Saint-Melaine, in Mother Simon's store. She +rushed to the place. The people did not know what she was talking +about. At last she came home, exhausted, with her slippers worn to +shreds, and despair in her heart. She sat down on the bench near +Madame and was telling of her search when presently a light weight +dropped on her shoulder--Loulou! What the deuce had he been doing? +Perhaps he had just taken a little walk around the town! + +She did not easily forget her scare; in fact, she never got over it. +In consequence of a cold, she caught a sore throat; and some time +later she had an earache. Three years later she was stone deaf, and +spoke in a very loud voice even in church. Although her sins might +have been proclaimed throughout the diocese without any shame to +herself, or ill effects to the community, the cure thought it +advisable to receive her confession in the vestry-room. + +Imaginary buzzings also added to her bewilderment. Her mistress often +said to her: "My goodness, how stupid you are!" and she would answer: +"Yes, Madame," and look for something. + +The narrow circle of her ideas grew more restricted than it already +was; the bellowing of the oxen, the chime of the bells no longer +reached her intelligence. All things moved silently, like ghosts. Only +one noise penetrated her ears; the parrot's voice. + +As if to divert her mind, he reproduced for her the tick-tack of the +spit in the kitchen, the shrill cry of the fish-vendors, the saw of +the carpenter who had a shop opposite, and when the door-bell rang, he +would imitate Madame Aubain: "Felicite! go to the front door." + +They held conversations together, Loulou repeating the three phrases +of his repertory over and over, Felicite replying by words that had no +greater meaning, but in which she poured out her feelings. In her +isolation, the parrot was almost a son, a love. He climbed upon her +fingers, pecked at her lips, clung to her shawl, and when she rocked +her head to and fro like a nurse, the big wings of her cap and the +wings of the bird flapped in unison. When clouds gathered on the +horizon and the thunder rumbled, Loulou would scream, perhaps because +he remembered the storms in his native forests. The dripping of the +rain would excite him to frenzy; he flapped around, struck the ceiling +with his wings, upset everything, and would finally fly into the +garden to play. Then he would come back into the room, light on one of +the andirons, and hop around in order to get dry. + +One morning during the terrible winter of 1837, when she had put him +in front of the fire-place on account of the cold, she found him dead +in his cage, hanging to the wire bars with his head down. He had +probably died of congestion. But she believed that he had been +poisoned, and although she had no proofs whatever, her suspicion +rested on Fabu. + +She wept so sorely that her mistress said: "Why don't you have him +stuffed?" + +She asked the advice of the chemist, who had always been kind to the +bird. + +He wrote to Havre for her. A certain man named Fellacher consented to +do the work. But, as the diligence driver often lost parcels entrusted +to him, Felicite resolved to take her pet to Honfleur herself. + +Leafless apple-trees lined the edges of the road. The ditches were +covered with ice. The dogs on the neighbouring farms barked; and +Felicite, with her hands beneath her cape, her little black sabots and +her basket, trotted along nimbly in the middle of the sidewalk. She +crossed the forest, passed by the Haut-Chene, and reached Saint- +Gatien. + +Behind her, in a cloud of dust and impelled by the steep incline, a +mail-coach drawn by galloping horses advanced like a whirlwind. When +he saw a woman in the middle of the road, who did not get out of the +way, the driver stood up in his seat and shouted to her and so did the +postilion, while the four horses, which he could not hold back, +accelerated their pace; the two leaders were almost upon her; with a +jerk of the reins he threw them to one side, but, furious at the +incident, he lifted his big whip and lashed her from her head to her +feet with such violence that she fell to the ground unconscious. + +Her first thought, when she recovered her senses, was to open the +basket. Loulou was unharmed. She felt a sting on her right cheek; when +she took her hand away it was red, for the blood was flowing. + +She sat down on a pile of stones, and sopped her cheek with her +handkerchief; then she ate a crust of bread she had put in her basket, +and consoled herself by looking at the bird. + +Arriving at the top of Ecquemanville, she saw the lights of Honfleur +shining in the distance like so many stars; further on, the ocean +spread out in a confused mass. Then a weakness came over her; the +misery of her childhood, the disappointment of her first love, the +departure of her nephew, the death of Virginia; all these things came +back to her at once, and, rising like a swelling tide in her throat, +almost choked her. + +Then she wished to speak to the captain of the vessel, and without +stating what she was sending, she gave him some instructions. + +Fellacher kept the parrot a long time. He always promised that it +would be ready for the following week; after six months he announced +the shipment of a case, and that was the end of it. Really, it seemed +as if Loulou would never come back to his home. "They have stolen +him," thought Felicite. + +Finally he arrived, sitting bold upright on a branch which could be +screwed into a mahogany pedestal, with his foot in the air, his head +on one side, and in his beak a nut which the naturalist, from love of +the sumptuous, had gilded. She put him in her room. + +This place, to which only a chosen few were admitted, looked like a +chapel and a second-hand shop, so filled was it with devotional and +heterogeneous things. The door could not be opened easily on account +of the presence of a large wardrobe. Opposite the window that looked +out into the garden, a bull's-eye opened on the yard; a table was +placed by the cot and held a wash-basin, two combs, and a piece of +blue soap in a broken saucer. On the walls were rosaries, medals, a +number of Holy Virgins, and a holy-water basin made out of a cocoanut; +on the bureau, which was covered with a napkin like an altar, stood +the box of shells that Victor had given her; also a watering-can and a +balloon, writing-books, the engraved geography and a pair of shoes; on +the nail which held the mirror, hung Virginia's little plush hat! +Felicite carried this sort of respect so far that she even kept one of +Monsieur's old coats. All the things which Madame Aubain discarded, +Felicite begged for her own room. Thus, she had artificial flowers on +the edge of the bureau, and the picture of the Comte d'Artois in the +recess of the window. By means of a board, Loulou was set on a portion +of the chimney which advanced into the room. Every morning when she +awoke, she saw him in the dim light of dawn and recalled bygone days +and the smallest details of insignificant actions, without any sense +of bitterness or grief. + +As she was unable to communicate with people, she lived in a sort of +somnambulistic torpor. The processions of Corpus-Christi Day seemed to +wake her up. She visited the neighbours to beg for candlesticks and +mats so as to adorn the temporary altars in the street. + +In church, she always gazed at the Holy Ghost, and noticed that there +was something about it that resembled a parrot. The likenesses +appeared even more striking on a coloured picture by Espinal, +representing the baptism of our Saviour. With his scarlet wings and +emerald body, it was really the image of Loulou. Having bought the +picture, she hung it near the one of the Comte d'Artois so that she +could take them in at one glance. + +They associated in her mind, the parrot becoming sanctified through +the neighbourhood of the Holy Ghost, and the latter becoming more +lifelike in her eyes, and more comprehensible. In all probability the +Father had never chosen as messenger a dove, as the latter has no +voice, but rather one of Loulou's ancestors. And Felicite said her +prayers in front of the coloured picture, though from time to time she +turned slightly towards the bird. + +She desired very much to enter in the ranks of the "Daughters of the +Virgin." But Madame Aubain dissuaded her from it. + +A most important event occurred: Paul's marriage. + +After being first a notary's clerk, then in business, then in the +customs, and a tax collector, and having even applied for a position +in the administration of woods and forests, he had at last, when he +was thirty-six years old, by a divine inspiration, found his vocation: +registrature! and he displayed such a high ability that an inspector +had offered him his daughter and his influence. + +Paul, who had become quite settled, brought his bride to visit his +mother. + +But she looked down upon the customs of Pont-l'Eveque, put on airs, +and hurt Felicite's feelings. Madame Aubain felt relieved when she +left. + +The following week they learned of Monsieur Bourais' death in an inn. +There were rumours of suicide, which were confirmed; doubts concerning +his integrity arose. Madame Aubain looked over her accounts and soon +discovered his numerous embezzlements; sales of wood which had been +concealed from her, false receipts, etc. Furthermore, he had an +illegitimate child, and entertained a friendship for "a person in +Dozule." + +These base actions affected her very much. In March, 1853, she +developed a pain in her chest; her tongue looked as if it were coated +with smoke, and the leeches they applied did not relieve her +oppression; and on the ninth evening she died, being just seventy-two +years old. + +People thought that she was younger, because her hair, which she wore +in bands framing her pale face, was brown. Few friends regretted her +loss, for her manner was so haughty that she did not attract them. +Felicite mourned for her as servants seldom mourn for their masters. +The fact that Madame should die before herself perplexed her mind and +seemed contrary to the order of things, and absolutely monstrous and +inadmissible. Ten days later (the time to journey from Besancon), the +heirs arrived. Her daughter-in-law ransacked the drawers, kept some of +the furniture, and sold the rest; then they went back to their own +home. + +Madame's armchair, foot-warmer, work-table, the eight chairs, +everything was gone! The places occupied by the pictures formed yellow +squares on the walls. They had taken the two little beds, and the +wardrobe had been emptied of Virginia's belongings! Felicite went +upstairs, overcome with grief. + +The following day a sign was posted on the door; the chemist screamed +in her ear that the house was for sale. + +For a moment she tottered, and had to sit down. + +What hurt her most was to give up her room,--so nice for poor Loulou! +She looked at him in despair and implored the Holy Ghost, and it was +this way that she contracted the idolatrous habit of saying her +prayers kneeling in front of the bird. Sometimes the sun fell through +the window on his glass eye, and lighted a spark in it which sent +Felicite into ecstasy. + +Her mistress had left her an income of three hundred and eighty +francs. The garden supplied her with vegetables. As for clothes, she +had enough to last her till the end of her days, and she economised on +the light by going to bed at dusk. + +She rarely went out, in order to avoid passing in front of the second- +hand dealer's shop where there was some of the old furniture. Since +her fainting spell, she dragged her leg, and as her strength was +failing rapidly, old Mother Simon, who had lost her money in the +grocery business, came very morning to chop the wood and pump the +water. + +Her eyesight grew dim. She did not open the shutters after that. Many +years passed. But the house did not sell or rent. Fearing that she +would be put out, Felicite did not ask for repairs. The laths of the +roof were rotting away, and during one whole winter her bolster was +wet. After Easter she spit blood. + +Then Mother Simon went for a doctor. Felicite wished to know what her +complaint was. But, being too deaf to hear, she caught only one word: +"Pneumonia." She was familiar with it and gently answered:--"Ah! like +Madame," thinking it quite natural that she should follow her +mistress. + +The time for the altars in the street drew near. + +The first one was always erected at the foot of the hill, the second +in front of the post-office, and the third in the middle of the +street. This position occasioned some rivalry among the women and they +finally decided upon Madame Aubain's yard. + +Felicite's fever grew worse. She was sorry that she could not do +anything for the altar. If she could, at least, have contributed +something towards it! Then she thought of the parrot. Her neighbours +objected that it would not be proper. But the cure gave his consent +and she was so grateful for it that she begged him to accept after her +death, her only treasure, Loulou. From Tuesday until Saturday, the day +before the event, she coughed more frequently. In the evening her face +was contracted, her lips stuck to her gums and she began to vomit; and +on the following day, she felt so low that she called for a priest. + +Three neighbours surrounded her when the dominie administered the +Extreme Unction. Afterwards she said that she wished to speak to Fabu. + +He arrived in his Sunday clothes, very ill at ease among the funereal +surroundings. + +"Forgive me," she said, making an effort to extend her arm, "I +believed it was you who killed him!" + +What did such accusations mean? Suspect a man like him of murder! And +Fabu became excited and was about to make trouble. + +"Don't you see she is not in her right mind?" + +From time to time Felicite spoke to shadows. The women left her and +Mother Simon sat down to breakfast. + +A little later, she took Loulou and holding him up to Felicite: + +"Say good-bye to him, now!" she commanded. + +Although he was not a corpse, he was eaten up by worms; one of his +wings was broken and the wadding was coming out of his body. But +Felicite was blind now, and she took him and laid him against her +cheek. Then Mother Simon removed him in order to set him on the altar. + + + + +CHAPTER V + +The grass exhaled an odour of summer; flies buzzed in the air, the sun +shone on the river and warmed the slated roof. Old Mother Simon had +returned to Felicite and was peacefully falling asleep. + +The ringing of bells woke her; the people were coming out of church. +Felicite's delirium subsided. By thinking of the procession, she was +able to see it as if she had taken part in it. All the school- +children, the singers and the firemen walked on the sidewalks, while +in the middle of the street came first the custodian of the church +with his halberd, then the beadle with a large cross, the teacher in +charge of the boys and a sister escorting the little girls; three of +the smallest ones, with curly heads, threw rose leaves into the air; +the deacon with outstretched arms conducted the music; and two +incense-bearers turned with each step they took toward the Holy +Sacrament, which was carried by M. le Cure, attired in his handsome +chasuble and walking under a canopy of red velvet supported by four +men. A crowd of people followed, jammed between the walls of the +houses hung with white sheets; at last the procession arrived at the +foot of the hill. + +A cold sweat broke out on Felicite's forehead. Mother Simon wiped it +away with a cloth, saying inwardly that some day she would have to go +through the same thing herself. + +The murmur of the crowd grew louder, was very distinct for a moment +and then died away. A volley of musketry shook the window-panes. It +was the postilions saluting the Sacrament. Felicite rolled her eyes, +and said as loudly as she could: + +"Is he all right?" meaning the parrot. + +Her death agony began. A rattle that grew more and more rapid shook +her body. Froth appeared at the corners of her mouth, and her whole +frame trembled. In a little while could be heard the music of the bass +horns, the clear voices of the children and the men's deeper notes. At +intervals all was still, and their shoes sounded like a herd of cattle +passing over the grass. + +The clergy appeared in the yard. Mother Simon climbed on a chair to +reach the bull's-eye, and in this manner could see the altar. It was +covered with a lace cloth and draped with green wreaths. In the middle +stood a little frame containing relics; at the corners were two little +orange-trees, and all along the edge were silver candlesticks, +porcelain vases containing sun-flowers, lilies, peonies, and tufts of +hydrangeas. This mount of bright colours descended diagonally from the +first floor to the carpet that covered the sidewalk. Rare objects +arrested one's eye. A golden sugar-bowl was crowned with violets, +earrings set with Alencon stones were displayed on green moss, and two +Chinese screens with their bright landscapes were near by. Loulou, +hidden beneath roses, showed nothing but his blue head which looked +like a piece of lapis-lazuli. + +The singers, the canopy-bearers and the children lined up against the +sides of the yard. Slowly the priest ascended the steps and placed his +shining sun on the lace cloth. Everybody knelt. There was deep +silence; and the censers slipping on their chains were swung high in +the air. A blue vapour rose in Felicite's room. She opened her +nostrils and inhaled with a mystic sensuousness; then she closed her +lids. Her lips smiled. The beats of her heart grew fainter and +fainter, and vaguer, like a fountain giving out, like an echo dying +away;--and when she exhaled her last breath, she thought she saw in +the half-opened heavens a gigantic parrot hovering above her head. + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg Etext of A Simple Soul, by Flaubert + diff --git a/old/old/sseng10.zip b/old/old/sseng10.zip Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..94a99ba --- /dev/null +++ b/old/old/sseng10.zip |