He occupied himself during the whole week in preparing for this dinner. The menu was discussed at great length, in order that they might have a repast which should be at the same time home-like and elegant. The following was finally decided2 upon: A consommé with eggs, shrimps3 and sausage for hors d'?uvre, a lobster4, a fine chicken, preserved peas, a paté de joie gras, a salad, an ice, and dessert.
The foie gras was ordered from a neighbouring pork butcher with the injunction to furnish the best quality. The pot alone cost three francs and a half.
For the wine, Cachelin applied5 to the wine merchant at the corner who supplied him with the red beverage6 with which he ordinarily quenched7 his thirst. He did not want to go to a big dealer8 reasoning thus: "The small dealers9 find few occasions to sell their best brands. On this account they keep them a long time in their cellars, and they are therefore better."
He came home at the earliest possible hour on Saturday to assure himself that all was ready. The maid who opened the door for him was red as a tomato, for she had lighted her fire at midday through fear of not being ready in time, and had roasted her face at it all day. Emotion also excited her. He entered the dining-room to inspect everything. In the middle of the little room the round table made a great white spot under the bright light of a lamp covered with a green shade.
The four plates were almost concealed10 by napkins folded in the form of an archbishop's miter by Mlle Cachelin, the aunt, and were flanked by knives and forks of white metal. In front of each stood two glasses, one large and one small. César found this insufficient11 at a glance, and he called: "Charlotte!"
The door at the left opened and a little old woman appeared. Older than her brother by ten years, she had a narrow face framed with white ringlets. She did these up in papers every night.
Her thin voice seemed too weak for her little bent12 body, and she moved with a slightly dragging step and tired gestures.
They had said of her when she was young: "What a dear little creature!"
She was now a shrivelled up old woman, very clean because of her early training, headstrong, spoiled, narrow-minded, fastidious, and easily irritated. Having become very devout13, she seemed to have totally forgotten the adventures of her past.
She asked: "What do you want?"
He replied: "I find that two glasses do not make much of a show. If we could have champagne14—it would not cost me more than three or four francs; we have the glasses already, and it would entirely15 change the aspect of the table."
Mlle Charlotte replied: "I do not see the use of going to that expense. But you are paying; it does not concern me."
He hesitated, seeking to convince himself:
"I assure you it would be much better. And then, with the cake it would make things more lively." This decided him. He took his hat and went downstairs, returning in five minutes with a bottle under his arm which bore on a large white label, ornamented16 with an enormous coat of arms, the words: "Grand vin mousseux de Champagne du Comte de Chatel-Rénovau."
Cachelin declared: "It cost only three francs, and the man says it is delicious."
He took the champagne glasses from the cupboard and placed them before each place.
The door at the right opened. His daughter entered. She was a tall girl with firm, rosy17 flesh—a handsome daughter of a strong race. She had chestnut18 hair and blue eyes. A simple gown outlined her round and supple19 figure; her voice was strong, almost the voice of a man, with those deep notes which make the nerves vibrate. She cried: "Heavens! Champagne! What luck!" clapping her hands like a child.
Her father said to her: "I wish you to be particularly nice to this gentleman; he has done such a lot for me."
The bell in the vestibule rang. The doors opened and closed and Lesable appeared.
He wore a black coat, a white cravat21, and white gloves. He created a stir. Cachelin sprang forward, embarrassed and delighted: "But, my dear fellow, this is among ourselves. See me—I am in ordinary dress."
The young man replied: "I know, you told me so; but I never go out in the evening without my dress-coat." He saluted22, his opera-hat under his arm, a flower in his buttonhole. César presented him: "My sister, Mlle Charlotte; my daughter Coralie, whom at home we call Cora."
Everybody bowed. Cachelin continued: "We have no salon23. It is rather troublesome, but one gets used to it."
Lesable replied: "It is charming."
Then he was relieved of his hat, which he wished to hang up, and he began immediately to draw off his gloves.
They sat down and looked at one another across the table, and no one said anything more until Cachelin asked: "Did the chief remain late to-night? I left very early to help the ladies."
Lesable replied in a careless tone: "No, we went away together, because we were obliged to discuss the matter of the payment for the canvasses24 at Brest. It is a very complicated affair, which will give us a great deal of trouble."
Cachelin believed he ought to bring his sister into the conversation, and turning to her said: "It is M. Lesable who decides all the difficult questions at the office. One might say that he was the deputy chief." The old spinster bowed politely, saying: "Oh, I know that Monsieur has great capabilities25."
The maid entered, pushing open the door with her knee, and holding aloft with both hands a great soup tureen. Then the master of the house cried: "Come—dinner! Sit there, M. Lesable, between my sister and my daughter. I hope you are not afraid of the ladies," and the dinner began.
Lesable made himself agreeable, with a little air of self-sufficiency, almost of condescension26, and he glanced now and then at the young girl, astonished at her freshness, at her beautiful, appetising health. Mlle Charlotte showed her best side, knowing the intentions of her brother, and she took part in the conversation so long as it was confined to commonplace topics. Cachelin was radiant; he talked and joked in a loud voice while he poured out the wine bought an hour previous at the store on the corner: "A glass of this little Burgundy, M. Lesable. I do not say that it is anything remarkable27, but it is good; it is from the cellar and it is pure—I can say that much. We get it from some friends down there."
The young girl said nothing; a little red, a little shy, she was awed28 by the presence of this man, whose thoughts she suspected.
When the lobster appeared, César declared: "Here comes a personage whose acquaintance I shall be glad to make."
Lesable, smiling, told a story of a writer who had called the lobster "the cardinal29 of the seas," not knowing that before being cooked the animal was a dark greenish black. Cachelin laughed with all his might, repeating: "Ha, ha, ha! that is first rate!" But Mlle Charlotte, becoming serious, said sharply:
"I do not see anything amusing in that. That gentleman was an improper30 person. I understand all kinds of pleasantries, but I am opposed to anything which casts ridicule31 on the clergy32 in my presence."
The young man, who wished to please the old maid, profited by this occasion to make a profession of the Catholic faith. He spoke33 of the bad taste of those who treated great truths with lightness. And in conclusion he said: "For myself I respect and venerate34 the religion of my fathers; I have been brought up in it, and I will remain in it till my death."
Cachelin laughed no longer. He rolled little crumbs35 of bread between his finger and thumb while he murmured: "That's right, that's right." Then he changed the conversation, and, with an impulse natural to those who follow the same routine every day, he said: "Our handsome Maze36—must have been furious at not having been promoted?"
Lesable smiled. "Well, why not? To everyone according to his deserts." And they continued talking about the ministry37, which interested everybody, for the two women knew the employees almost as well as Cachelin himself, through hearing them spoken of every day.
Mlle Charlotte was particularly pleased to hear about Boissel, on account of his romantic spirit, and the adventures he was always telling about, while Cora was secretly interested in the handsome Maze. They had never seen either of the men, however.
Lesable talked about them with a superior air, as a minister might have done in speaking of his staff.
"Maze is not lacking in a certain kind of merit, but when one wishes to accomplish anything it is necessary to work harder than he does. He is fond of society and of pleasure. All that distracts the mind; he will never advance much on this account. He will be an Assistant Secretary, perhaps, thanks to the influence he commands, but nothing more. As for Pitolet, he is a good clerk, I must say. He has a superficial elegance38 which cannot be gainsaid39, but nothing deep. There is a young man whom one could never put at the head of an important bureau, but who can always be utilised by an intelligent chief who would lay out his work for him."
"And M. Boissel?" asked Mlle Charlotte.
Lesable shrugged40 his shoulders: "A poor chap, a poor chap. He can see nothing in its proper proportions, and is continually imagining wonderful stories while half asleep. To us he is of no earthly use."
Cachelin began to laugh. "But the best of all," he declared, "is old father Savon."
Then everybody laughed.
After that they talked of the theatres and the different plays of the year. Lesable judged the dramatic literature of the day with the same authority, concisely41 classifying the authors, determining the strength and weakness of each, with the assurance of a man who believes himself to be infallible and universal.
They had finished the roast. César now uncovered the pot of foie gras with the most delicate precautions, which made one imagine the contents to be something wonderful. He said: "I do not know if this one will be a success, but generally they are perfect. We get them from a cousin who lives in Strasburg."
With respectful deliberation each one ate the butcher's paté in its little yellow pot.
But disaster came with the ice. It was a sauce, a soup, a clear liquid which floated in the dish. The little maid had begged the pastry42 cook's boy, who brought the ice at seven o'clock, to take it out of the mold himself, fearing that she would not know how.
Cachelin, in despair, wished to make her carry it back again; then he calmed himself at the thought of the Twelfth Night cake, which he divided with great mystery as though it contained a prime secret. All fixed43 their gaze on the symbolic44 cake, then Mlle Charlotte directed that each one close his eyes while taking a piece.
Who would be the king? A childish, expectant smile was on the lips of everyone. M. Lesable uttered a little "ah" of astonishment45, and showed between his thumb and forefinger46 a great white bean still covered with pastry. Cachelin began to applaud, then cried: "Choose the queen! choose the queen!"
The king hesitated an instant only. Would it not be a politic47 act to choose Mlle Charlotte? She would be flattered, brought over, his friend ever after! Then he reflected that it was really Mlle Cora for whom he had been invited, and that he would seem like a ninny in choosing the aunt. He turned toward his youthful neighbor, and handing her the royal bean said: "Mademoiselle, will you permit me to offer it to you?" And they looked one another in the face for the first time.
He thought: "She is enormously pretty, this girl. Her eyes are superb. She is gay, too, if I am not mistaken!"
A sharp detonation49 made the two women jump. Cachelin had just opened the champagne, which escaped from the bottle and ran over the table-cloth. Then the glasses were filled with the frothy stuff and the host declared: "It is of good quality, one can see that." But as Lesable was about to drink to prevent his glass from running over, César cried: "The king drinks! the king drinks! the king drinks!" And Mlle Charlotte, also excited, squeaked50 in her thin voice: "The king drinks! the king drinks!"
Lesable emptied his glass with composure, and replacing it on the table said: "You see I am not lacking in assurance." Then turning toward Mlle Cora he said: "It is yours, Mademoiselle!"
She wished to drink, but everybody having cried: "The queen drinks! the queen drinks!" she blushed, began to laugh, and put the glass down again.
The end of the dinner was full of gaiety; the king showed himself most attentive51 and gallant52 toward the queen. Then when they had finished the liqueurs, Cachelin announced:
"We will have the table cleared away now to give us more room. If it is not raining, we can go to the balcony for a few minutes." He wanted Lesable to see the view, although it was night.
The glass door was thrown open. A moist, warm breeze entered. It was mild outdoors as in the month of April. They all mounted the step which separated the dining-room from the large balcony. They could see nothing but a vague glimmer53 hovering54 over the great city, like the gilt55 halos which they put on the heads of the saints. In some spots this light seemed more brilliant, and Cachelin began to explain:
"See, that is the Eden blazing down there. Look at the line of the boulevards. Isn't it wonderful, how you can distinguish them! In the daytime it is splendid, this view. You would have to travel a long way before you saw anything finer!"
Lesable was leaning on the iron balustrade, by the side of Cora, who gazed into the void, silent, distraught, seized of a sudden with one of those melancholy56 languors which sometimes oppress the soul. Mlle Charlotte returned to the room, fearing the damp. Cachelin continued to speak, his outstretched hand indicating the places where they would find the Invalides, the Trocadéro, the Arc de Triomphe.
Lesable in a low voice asked: "And you, Mlle Cora, do you like to look at Paris from this height?"
She gave a little shiver, as though she had been dreaming and answered: "I? Yes, especially at night. I think of all the things which are happening there in front of us. How many happy people and how many who are unhappy in all these houses! If one could see everything, how many things one might learn!"
He came a little nearer, until their elbows and their shoulders touched:
"By moonlight this should be like fairyland."
She murmured: "Ah, yes, indeed. One would say it was an engraving57 by Gustave Doré. What a pleasure it would be to take a long walk on these roofs."
Then he questioned her regarding her tastes, her dreams, her pleasures. And she replied without embarrassment58, after the manner of an intelligent, sensible girl—one who was not more imaginative than was necessary.
He found her full of good sense, and he said to himself that it would be wonderfully sweet to put his arm about that firm, round figure, and to press a score of little slow kisses, as one drinks in little sips59 of excellent brandy, on that fresh cheek, near the ear, just where a ray from the lamp fell upon it. He felt himself attracted, moved by the sensation of the proximity60 of a beautiful woman, by the thirst for her ripe and virginal flesh and by that delicate seductive influence a young girl possesses. It seemed to him he could remain there for hours, nights, weeks, forever, leaning towards her, feeling her near to him, thrilled by the charm of that contact. And something like a poetic61 sentiment stirred his heart in the face of that great Paris, spread out before him, brilliant in her nocturnal life, her life of pleasure and debauchery. It seemed to him that he dominated the enormous city, that he hovered62 over it; and he thought how delicious it would be to recline every evening on such a balcony beside a woman, to love her and be loved by her, to press her to his breast, far above the vast city, and all the earthly loves it contained, above all the vulgar satisfactions and common desires, near to the stars.
There are nights when even the least exalted63 souls begin to dream, and Lesable felt as though he were spreading his wings for the first time. Perhaps he was a little tipsy.
Cachelin went inside to get his pipe, and came back lighting64 it. "I know," he said, "that you do not smoke or I would offer you a cigarette. There is nothing more delightful65 than to smoke here. If I had to live on the ground floor I should die. We could do it if we wanted to, for the house belongs to my sister, as well as the two neighbouring ones—the one on the right and the one on the left. She has a nice little revenue from these alone. They did not cost a great deal, either, when she bought them." And turning toward the window he cried: "How much did you pay for the ground here, Charlotte?"
Then the thin voice of the old spinster was heard speaking. Lesable could only hear broken fragments of the sentences: "In eighteen hundred and sixty-three—thirty-five francs—built afterward—the three houses—a banker—sold for at least five hundred thousand francs—"
She talked of her fortune with the complacency of an old soldier who reels off stories of his campaigns. She enumerated66 her purchases, the high offers she had since had, the rise in values, etc.
Lesable, immediately interested, turned about, resting now his back against the balustrade of the balcony. But as he still caught only tantalizing67 scraps68 of what the old woman said, he brusquely left his young companion and went within where he might hear everything; and seating himself beside Mademoiselle Charlotte conversed69 with her for a long time on the probable increase in rents and what income should accrue70 from money well placed in stocks and bonds. He left toward midnight, promising71 to return.
A month later there was nothing talked about in the whole office but the marriage of Jacques Léopold Lesable with Mademoiselle Céleste Coralie, Cachelin.
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1
rue
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| n.懊悔，芸香，后悔；v.后悔，悲伤，懊悔 | |
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decided
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| adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的 | |
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shrimps
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| n.虾，小虾( shrimp的名词复数 )；矮小的人 | |
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lobster
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| n.龙虾，龙虾肉 | |
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applied
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| adj.应用的；v.应用，适用 | |
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beverage
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| n.(水，酒等之外的)饮料 | |
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7
quenched
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| 解（渴）( quench的过去式和过去分词 )； 终止（某事物）； （用水）扑灭（火焰等）； 将（热物体）放入水中急速冷却 | |
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dealer
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| n.商人，贩子 | |
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dealers
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| n.商人( dealer的名词复数 )；贩毒者；毒品贩子；发牌者 | |
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10
concealed
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| a.隐藏的，隐蔽的 | |
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11
insufficient
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| adj.(for，of)不足的，不够的 | |
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12
bent
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| n.爱好，癖好；adj.弯的；决心的，一心的 | |
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13
devout
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| adj.虔诚的，虔敬的，衷心的 (n.devoutness) | |
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champagne
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| n.香槟酒；微黄色 | |
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15
entirely
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| ad.全部地，完整地；完全地，彻底地 | |
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ornamented
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| adj.花式字体的v.装饰，点缀，美化( ornament的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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rosy
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| adj.美好的，乐观的，玫瑰色的 | |
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chestnut
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| n.栗树，栗子 | |
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supple
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| adj.柔软的，易弯的，逢迎的，顺从的，灵活的；vt.使柔软，使柔顺，使顺从；vi.变柔软，变柔顺 | |
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sonorous
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| adj.响亮的，回响的；adv.圆润低沉地；感人地；n.感人，堂皇 | |
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cravat
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| n.领巾，领结；v.使穿有领结的服装，使结领结 | |
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saluted
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| v.欢迎，致敬( salute的过去式和过去分词 )；赞扬，赞颂 | |
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23
salon
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| n.[法]沙龙；客厅；营业性的高级服务室 | |
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canvasses
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| n.检票员，游说者，推销员( canvass的名词复数 )v.（在政治方面）游说( canvass的第三人称单数 )；调查（如选举前选民的）意见；为讨论而提出（意见等）；详细检查 | |
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25
capabilities
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| n.能力( capability的名词复数 )；可能；容量；[复数]潜在能力 | |
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condescension
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| n.自以为高人一等，贬低(别人) | |
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remarkable
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| adj.显著的，异常的，非凡的，值得注意的 | |
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awed
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| adj.充满敬畏的，表示敬畏的v.使敬畏，使惊惧( awe的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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cardinal
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| n.(天主教的)红衣主教；adj.首要的，基本的 | |
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improper
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| adj.不适当的，不合适的，不正确的，不合礼仪的 | |
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ridicule
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| v.讥讽，挖苦；n.嘲弄 | |
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clergy
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| n.[总称]牧师，神职人员 | |
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33
spoke
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| n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说 | |
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venerate
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| v.尊敬，崇敬，崇拜 | |
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crumbs
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| int. (表示惊讶)哎呀 n. 碎屑 名词crumb的复数形式 | |
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36
maze
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| n.迷宫，八阵图，混乱，迷惑 | |
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ministry
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| n.(政府的)部；牧师 | |
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elegance
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| n.优雅；优美，雅致；精致，巧妙 | |
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39
gainsaid
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| v.否认，反驳( gainsay的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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40
shrugged
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| vt.耸肩（shrug的过去式与过去分词形式） | |
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41
concisely
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| adv.简明地 | |
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42
pastry
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| n.油酥面团，酥皮糕点 | |
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43
fixed
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| adj.固定的，不变的，准备好的；(计算机)固定的 | |
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44
symbolic
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| adj.象征性的，符号的，象征主义的 | |
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45
astonishment
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| n.惊奇，惊异 | |
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46
forefinger
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| n.食指 | |
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47
politic
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| adj.有智虑的；精明的；v.从政 | |
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48
gage
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| n.标准尺寸，规格；量规，量表 [=gauge] | |
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49
detonation
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| n.爆炸；巨响 | |
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50
squeaked
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| v.短促地尖叫( squeak的过去式和过去分词 )；吱吱叫；告密；充当告密者 | |
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51
attentive
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| adj.注意的，专心的；关心(别人)的，殷勤的 | |
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52
gallant
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| adj.英勇的，豪侠的；(向女人)献殷勤的 | |
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53
glimmer
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| v.发出闪烁的微光；n.微光，微弱的闪光 | |
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54
hovering
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| 鸟( hover的现在分词 )； 靠近（某事物）； （人）徘徊； 犹豫 | |
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55
gilt
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| adj.镀金的；n.金边证券 | |
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56
melancholy
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| n.忧郁，愁思；adj.令人感伤（沮丧）的，忧郁的 | |
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57
engraving
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| n.版画；雕刻（作品）；雕刻艺术；镌版术v.在（硬物）上雕刻（字，画等）( engrave的现在分词 )；将某事物深深印在（记忆或头脑中） | |
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embarrassment
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| n.尴尬；使人为难的人(事物)；障碍；窘迫 | |
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sips
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| n.小口喝，一小口的量( sip的名词复数 )v.小口喝，呷，抿( sip的第三人称单数 ) | |
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proximity
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| n.接近，邻近 | |
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poetic
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| adj.富有诗意的，有诗人气质的，善于抒情的 | |
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hovered
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| 鸟( hover的过去式和过去分词 )； 靠近（某事物）； （人）徘徊； 犹豫 | |
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63
exalted
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| adj.(地位等)高的，崇高的；尊贵的，高尚的 | |
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lighting
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| n.照明，光线的明暗，舞台灯光 | |
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delightful
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| adj.令人高兴的，使人快乐的 | |
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66
enumerated
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| v.列举，枚举，数( enumerate的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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67
tantalizing
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| adj.逗人的；惹弄人的；撩人的；煽情的v.逗弄，引诱，折磨( tantalize的现在分词 ) | |
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68
scraps
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| 油渣 | |
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conversed
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| v.交谈，谈话( converse的过去式 ) | |
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70
accrue
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| v.(利息等)增大，增多 | |
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promising
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| adj.有希望的，有前途的 | |
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