CHAPTER XIII. THE ONE HUNDRED LOUIS OF THE QUEEN.

 Now we have introduced the principal characters of this history to our readers, and have taken them both into the “petite maison” of the Comte d’Artois and into the king’s palace at Versailles, we will return to that house in the Rue¹ St. Claude where we saw the queen enter incognito² with Mademoiselle Andrée de Taverney.

 

We left Madame de la Motte counting over and delighted with her fifty double louis; next to the pleasure of having them, she knew no greater than that of displaying them, and having no one else, she called Dame³ Clotilde, who was still in the ante-chamber.

 

When she entered, “Come and look here!” said her mistress.

 

“Oh, madame!” cried the old woman, clasping her hands in astonishment⁴.

 

“You were uneasy about your wages,” said the countess.

 

“Oh, madame! I never said that; I only asked madame if she could pay me, as I had received nothing for three months.”

 

“Do you think there is enough there to pay you?”

 

“Oh! madame, if I had all that, I should be rich for the rest of my life. But in what will madame spend all that?”

 

“In everything.”

 

“The first thing, I think, madame, will be to furnish the kitchen, for you will have good dinners cooked now.”

 

“Listen!” said Madame de la Motte; “someone knocks.”

 

“I did not hear it,” said the old woman.

 

“But I tell you that I did; so go at once.” She hastily gathered up her money, and put it into a drawer, murmuring, “Oh! if Providence⁵ will but send me another such a visitor.” Then she heard the steps of a man below, but could not distinguish what he said. Soon however, the door opened, and Clotilde came in with a letter.

 

The countess examined it attentively⁶, and asked, “Was this brought by a servant?”

 

“Yes, madame.”

 

“In livery?”

 

“No, madame.”

 

“I know these arms, surely,” said Jeanne to herself. “Who can it be from? but the letter will soon show for itself;” and opening it, she read: “Madame, the person to whom you wrote will see you to-morrow evening, if it be agreeable to you to remain at home for that purpose;” and that was all. “I have written to so many people,” thought the countess. “Is this a man or a woman? The writing is no guide, nor is the style; it might come from either. Who is it that uses these arms? Oh! I remember now—the arms of the Rohans. Yes, I wrote to M. de Guémenée, and to M. de Rohan; it is one of them: but the shield is not quartered—it is therefore the cardinal⁷. Ah! Monsieur de Rohan, the man of gallantry, the fine gentleman, and the ambitious one; he will come to see Jeanne de la Motte, if it be agreeable to her. Oh, yes! M. de Rohan, it is very agreeable. A charitable lady who gives a hundred louis may be received in a garret, freeze in my cold room, and suffer on my hard chair; but a clerical prince, a lady’s man, that is quite another thing. We must have luxury to greet him.”

 

Then, turning to Clotilde, who was getting her bed ready, she said: “Be sure to call me early to-morrow morning;” and when she did retire to rest, so absorbed was she in her expectations and plans, that it was nearly three o’clock before she fell asleep; nevertheless, she was quite ready when Dame Clotilde called her according to her directions early in the morning, and had finished her toilet by eight o’clock, although this day it consisted of an elegant silk dress, and her hair was elaborately dressed.

 

She sent Clotilde for a coach, and ordered the man to drive to the Place Royale, where, under one of the arcades⁸, was the shop of M. Fingret, an upholsterer and decorator, and who had furniture always ready for sale or hire.

 

She entered his immense show-rooms, of which the walls were hung with different tapestries⁹, and the ceiling completely hidden by the number of chandeliers and lamps that hung from it. On the ground were furniture, carpets, and cornices of every fashion and description.

1 rue   

n.懊悔，芸香，后悔；v.后悔，悲伤，懊悔

参考例句：

• You'll rue having failed in the examination.你会悔恨考试失败。
• You're going to rue this the longest day that you live.你要终身悔恨不尽呢。

2 incognito   

adv.匿名地；n.隐姓埋名；adj.化装的，用假名的，隐匿姓名身份的

参考例句：

• He preferred to remain incognito.他更喜欢继续隐姓埋名下去。
• He didn't want to be recognized,so he travelled incognito.他不想被人认出，所以出行时隐瞒身分。

3 dame   

n.女士

参考例句：

• The dame tell of her experience as a wife and mother.这位年长妇女讲了她作妻子和母亲的经验。
• If you stick around,you'll have to marry that dame.如果再逗留多一会，你就要跟那个夫人结婚。

4 astonishment   

n.惊奇，惊异

参考例句：

• They heard him give a loud shout of astonishment.他们听见他惊奇地大叫一声。
• I was filled with astonishment at her strange action.我对她的奇怪举动不胜惊异。

5 providence   

n.深谋远虑，天道，天意；远见；节约；上帝

参考例句：

• It is tempting Providence to go in that old boat.乘那艘旧船前往是冒大险。
• To act as you have done is to fly in the face of Providence.照你的所作所为那样去行事，是违背上帝的意志的。

6 attentively   

adv.聚精会神地；周到地；谛；凝神

参考例句：

• She listened attentively while I poured out my problems. 我倾吐心中的烦恼时，她一直在注意听。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• She listened attentively and set down every word he said. 她专心听着，把他说的话一字不漏地记下来。 来自《简明英汉词典》

7 cardinal   

n.(天主教的)红衣主教；adj.首要的，基本的

参考例句：

• This is a matter of cardinal significance.这是非常重要的事。
• The Cardinal coloured with vexation. 红衣主教感到恼火，脸涨得通红。

8 arcades   

n.商场( arcade的名词复数 )；拱形走道（两旁有商店或娱乐设施）；连拱廊；拱形建筑物

参考例句：

• Clothes are on sale in several shopping arcades these days. 近日一些服装店的服装正在大减价。 来自轻松英语会话---联想4000词(下)
• The Plaza Mayor, with its galleries and arcades, is particularly impressive. 市长大厦以其别具风格的走廊和拱廊给人留下十分深刻的印象。 来自互联网

9 tapestries   

n.挂毯( tapestry的名词复数 )；绣帷，织锦v.用挂毯（或绣帷）装饰( tapestry的第三人称单数 )

参考例句：

• The wall of the banqueting hall were hung with tapestries. 宴会厅的墙上挂有壁毯。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The rooms were hung with tapestries. 房间里都装饰着挂毯。 来自《简明英汉词典》