It was
decided that she should take her meals at the family table, a
thing which had never happened at the Hotel de Chalusse.
Mademoiselle Marguerite raised a few objections, which Madame Leon
answered with a venomous look, but Madame de Fondege insisted upon
the arrangement, not understanding, she said, graciously, why they
need deprive themselves of the society of such an agreeable and
distinguished person. Madame Leon in no wise doubted but this
favor was due to her merit alone, but Mademoiselle Marguerite, who
was more discerning, saw that their hostess was really furious at
the idea, but was compelled to submit to it by the imperious
necessity of preventing Madame Leon from coming in contact with
the servants, who might make some decidedly compromising
disclosures. For there were evidently many little mysteries and
make-shifts to be concealed in this household. For instance,
while the servants were carrying the luggage upstairs, Marguerite
discovered Madame de Fondege and her maid in close consultation,
whispering with that volubility which betrays an unexpected and
pressing perplexity. What were they talking about? She listened
without any compunctions of conscience, and the words "a pair of
sheets," repeated again and again, furnished her with abundant
food for reflection. "Is it possible," she thought, "that they
have no sheets to give us?"
It did not take her long to discover the maid's opinion of the
establishment in which she served; for while she brandished her
broom and duster, this girl, exasperated undoubtedly by the
increase of work she saw in store for her, growled and cursed the
old barrack where one was worked to death, where one never had
enough to eat, and where the wages were always in arrears.
Pages:
158
159
160
161
162
163
164
165
166
167
168
169
170
171
172
173
174
175
176
177
178
179
180
181
182