登陆注册
14363600000013

第13章

The old draper went to look for Joseph Lebas, and inform him of the state of affairs. At half-past six, the dining-room immortalized by the artist saw, united under its skylight, Monsieur and Madame Roguin, the young painter and his charming Augustine, Joseph Lebas, who found his happiness in patience, and Mademoiselle Virginie, convalescent from her headache. Monsieur and Madame Guillaume saw in perspective both their children married, and the fortunes of the Cat and Racket once more in skilful hands. Their satisfaction was at its height when, at dessert, Theodore made them a present of the wonderful picture which they had failed to see, representing the interior of the old shop, and to which they all owed so much happiness.

"Isn't it pretty!" cried Guillaume. "And to think that any one would pay thirty thousand francs for that!""Because you can see my lappets in it," said Madame Guillaume.

"And the cloth unrolled!" added Lebas; "you might take it up in your hand.""Drapery always comes out well," replied the painter. "We should be only too happy, we modern artists, if we could touch the perfection of antique drapery.""So you like drapery!" cried old Guillaume. "Well, then, by Gad! shake hands on that, my young friend. Since you can respect trade, we shall understand each other. And why should it be despised? The world began with trade, since Adam sold Paradise for an apple. He did not strike a good bargain though!" And the old man roared with honest laughter, encouraged by the champagne, which he sent round with a liberal hand.

The band that covered the young artist's eyes was so thick that he thought his future parents amiable. He was not above enlivening them by a few jests in the best taste. So he too pleased every one. In the evening, when the drawing-room, furnished with what Madame Guillaume called "everything handsome," was deserted, and while she flitted from the table to the chimney-piece, from the candelabra to the tall candlesticks, hastily blowing out the wax-lights, the worthy draper, who was always clear-sighted when money was in question, called Augustine to him, and seating her on his knee, spoke as follows:--"My dear child, you shall marry your Sommervieux since you insist; you may, if you like, risk your capital in happiness. But I am not going to be hoodwinked by the thirty thousand francs to be made by spoiling good canvas. Money that is lightly earned is lightly spent. Did I not hear that hare-brained youngster declare this evening that money was made round that it might roll. If it is round for spendthrifts, it is flat for saving folks who pile it up. Now, my child, that fine gentleman talks of giving you carriages and diamonds! He has money, let him spend it on you; so be it. It is no concern of mine. But as to what I can give you, I will not have the crown-pieces I have picked up with so much toil wasted in carriages and frippery. Those who spend too fast never grow rich. A hundred thousand crowns, which is your fortune, will not buy up Paris. It is all very well to look forward to a few hundred thousand francs to be yours some day; I shall keep you waiting for them as long as possible, by Gad! So I took your lover aside, and a man who managed the Lecocq bankruptcy had not much difficulty in persuading the artist to marry under a settlement of his wife's money on herself. I will keep an eye on the marriage contract to see that what he is to settle on you is safely tied up. So now, my child, I hope to be a grandfather, by Gad! I will begin at once to lay up for my grandchildren; but swear to me, here and now, never to sign any papers relating to money without my advice; and if I go soon to join old Father Chevrel, promise to consult young Lebas, your brother-in-law."

"Yes, father, I swear it."

At these words, spoken in a gentle voice, the old man kissed his daughter on both cheeks. That night the lovers slept as soundly as Monsieur and Madame Guillaume.

Some few months after this memorable Sunday the high altar of Saint-Leu was the scene of two very different weddings. Augustine and Theodore appeared in all the radiance of happiness, their eyes beaming with love, dressed with elegance, while a fine carriage waited for them. Virginie, who had come in a good hired fly with the rest of the family, humbly followed her younger sister, dressed in the simplest fashion like a shadow necessary to the harmony of the picture.

Monsieur Guillaume had exerted himself to the utmost in the church to get Virginie married before Augustine, but the priests, high and low, persisted in addressing the more elegant of the two brides. He heard some of his neighbors highly approving the good sense of Mademoiselle Virginie, who was making, as they said, the more substantial match, and remaining faithful to the neighborhood; while they fired a few taunts, prompted by envy of Augustine, who was marrying an artist and a man of rank; adding, with a sort of dismay, that if the Guillaumes were ambitious, there was an end to the business. An old fan-maker having remarked that such a prodigal would soon bring his wife to beggary, father Guillaume prided himself /in petto/ for his prudence in the matter of marriage settlements. In the evening, after a splendid ball, followed by one of those substantial suppers of which the memory is dying out in the present generation, Monsieur and Madame Guillaume remained in a fine house belonging to them in the Rue du Colombier, where the wedding had been held; Monsieur and Madame Lebas returned in their fly to the old home in the Rue Saint-Denis, to steer the good ship Cat and Racket. The artist, intoxicated with happiness, carried off his beloved Augustine, and eagerly lifting her out of their carriage when it reached the Rue des Trois-Freres, led her to an apartment embellished by all the arts.

同类推荐
  • 晚次修路僧

    晚次修路僧

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。
  • Legends and Lyrics

    Legends and Lyrics

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。
  • 北使纪略

    北使纪略

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。
  • 郁洲遗稿

    郁洲遗稿

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。
  • 因明正理门论

    因明正理门论

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。
热门推荐
  • 灰姑娘之冷血王子

    灰姑娘之冷血王子

    东宫凌是一名性格古怪、孤僻、冷漠的天才少年,这天他收到一名名不见经传的女生给他送来的情书,混乱中他们发生了撞唇事件。而最令他意想不到的是这名名不见经传的女生竟然与他住在同一屋檐下。。。。
  • 恨天游

    恨天游

    纵横亘古,诸事皆有缘法!凡人仰观苍天,无明日月潜息、四时更替,幽冥之间,万物已循因缘。蜉蝣朝生暮死,却也想偷天改命。凡人逆天修道,突破百年枷锁,逍遥于天地之间。
  • 你把岁月念成诗

    你把岁月念成诗

    阴差阳错的大学警校生活带给我的并不是刺激,反而让我惦记起中学时代的爱与恨。所有的困惑接踵而来,不可抵挡。
  • 灵修的传说

    灵修的传说

    在这个世界上并没有神,也没有仙。唯有灵……“九幽异动,福兮?祸兮?”
  • 娘子不乖:诱妻入怀

    娘子不乖:诱妻入怀

    前一世,她是个思想保守的人民警察,她的男友是她在一次缉毒行动中救下的人质,两人同居几年,男友一直对她呵护有加,没想到一切竟是骗局,原来他就是她和同事们这几年苦苦寻找的毒品集团的头领,他在家中偷窃贩毒团伙的名单时被她发现。。。。。
  • 穿越之妈妈桑的春天

    穿越之妈妈桑的春天

    尼玛!!!作为白天是祖国的花朵蒸蒸日上的十佳女青年好学生,夜晚是卖着小女孩火爆性感的妈妈桑的我,夏友奈!竟然,穿越了?!!
  • 蛮武之神

    蛮武之神

    当岁月老去,长生是梦,哀鸿遍野当时光不再,苍茫大地,繁华已去,苍穹遥不可及悲痛的万千大道软绵无力,沉寂的丹田似乎再也无法迎来朝气刺痛道心任你千年古井无波蛮武传遍大地每一个角落破、破、破破开那乌云笼罩的千山万宗破去那尘埃遮住的日月星辰蛮、蛮、蛮以蛮入武,以蛮入道,以蛮成神
  • 我是60后

    我是60后

    60后,不前卫、不反叛、不颓废、不张扬。我们是渴望温情的一代,因为我们成长于只有热情没有温情的年代。我们是充满理想的一代,因为我们总是爱听英雄的故事,过早地明白天上不会掉馅饼的道理。我们是内心保守却又渴望变化的一代,因为我们的青春,刚好赶上了祖国万花筒一般的变幻。我们是刚展开青春的羽翼就被生活的齿轮碾得粉碎的一代,我们被巨变的年代裹挟着,刚找到一个安全的位置喘口气,却发现周围大兵压境,已经是80后、90后的天下了。
  • 疑案递推法训练(青少年提高逻辑思维能力训练集)

    疑案递推法训练(青少年提高逻辑思维能力训练集)

    当今时代是一个知识爆炸的时代,也是一个头脑竞争的时代;在竞争日益激烈的环境下,一个人想要很好地生存,不仅需要付出勤奋,而且还必须具有智慧。随着人才竞争的日趋激烈和高智能化,越来越多的人认识到只拥有知识是远远不够的。因为知识本身并不能告诉我们如何去运用知识,如何去解决问题,如何去创新,而这一切都要靠人的智慧,也就是大脑思维来解决。认真观察周围的人我们也会发现,那些在社会上有所成就的人无不是具有卓越思维能力的人。
  • 超级混乱花都

    超级混乱花都

    【2016最无耻恶劣都市小说!】强行吃着女警花的软饭,叶真剑对那位千年一遇的大小姐还是念念不忘。不行!老子再不下手的话就被那条蛇龙抢先了!曰了……这里怎么会有蛇龙那种专门祸害女人的怪兽?这里是都市频道好不好,你丫串台了吧!