CHAPTER XIV
"The character is lost! Her head adorned with lappets, pinned aloft, And ribands streaming gay, superbly raised, Indebted to some smart wig-weaver's hand For more than half the tresses it sustains."--COWPER.
Upon her return to Paris, Victoire felt melancholy; but she exertedherself as much as possible in her usual occupation; finding thatemployment and the consciousness of doing her duty were the best remediesfor sorrow.
One day as she was busy settling Madame Feuillot's accounts a servantcame into the shop and inquired for Mademoiselle Victoire: he presentedher a note, which she found rather difficult to decipher. It was signedby her cousin Manon, who desired to see Victoire at her hotel. "_Herhotel_!" repeated Victoire with astonishment. The servant assured herthat one of the finest hotels in Paris belonged to his lady, and that hewas commissioned to show her the way to it. Victoire found her cousin ina magnificent house, which had formerly belonged to the Prince de Salms.Manon, dressed in the disgusting, indecent extreme of the mode, wasseated under a richly-fringed canopy. She burst into a loud laugh asVictoire entered.
"You look just as much astonished as I expected," cried she. "Greatchanges have happened since I saw you last--I always told you, Victoire,I knew the world better than you did. What has come of all yourschooling, and your mighty goodness, and your gratitude truly? Yourpatroness is banished and a beggar, and you a drudge in the shop of a_brodeuse_, who makes you work your fingers to the bone, no doubt. Nowyou shall see the difference. Let me show you my house; you know it wasformerly the hotel of the Prince de Salms, he that was guillotined theother day; but you know nothing, for you have been out of Paris thismonth, I understand. Then I must tell you that my friend Villeneuf hasacquired an immense fortune! by assignats made in the course of afortnight. I say an immense fortune! and has bought this fine house. Nowdo you begin to understand?"
"I do not clearly know whom you mean by 'your friend Villeneuf,'" saidVictoire.
"The hairdresser who lived in our street," said Manon; "he became a greatpatriot, you know, and orator; and, what with his eloquence and his luckin dealing in assignats, he has made his fortune and mine."
"And yours! then he is your husband?"
"That does not follow--that is not necessary--but do not look soshocked--everybody goes on the sane way now; besides, I had no otherresource--I must have starved--I could not earn my bread as you do.Besides, I was too delicate for hard work of any sort--and besides--butcome, let me show you my house--you have no idea how fine it is."
With anxious ostentation Manon displayed all her riches to exciteVictoire's envy.
"Confess, Victoire," said she at last, "that you think me the happiestperson you have ever known.--You do not answer; whom did you ever knowthat was happier?"
"Sister Frances, who died last week, appeared to be much happier," saidVictoire.
"The poor nun!" said Manon, disdainfully. "Well, and whom do you thinkthe next happiest?"
"Madame de Fleury."
"An exile and a beggar!--Oh, you are jesting now, Victoire--or--envious.With that sanctified face, citoyenne--perhaps I should sayMademoiselle--Victoire you would be delighted to change places with methis instant. Come, you shall stay with me a week to try how you likeit."
"Excuse me," said Victoire, firmly; "I cannot stay with you, Manon; youhave chosen one way of life and I another--quite another. I do notrepent my choice--may you never repent yours!--Farewell!"
"Bless me! what airs! and with what dignity she looks! Repent of mychoice!--a likely thing, truly. Am not I at the top of the wheel?"
"And may not the wheel turn?" said Victoire.
"Perhaps it may," said Manon; "but till it does I will enjoy myself.Since you are of a different humour, return to Madame Feuillot, andfigure upon cambric and muslin, and make out bills, and nurse old nunsall the days of your life. You will never persuade me, however, that youwould not change places with me if you could. Stay till you are tried,Mademoiselle Victoire. Who was ever in love with you or yourvirtues?--Stay till you are tried."
Murad the Unlucky, and Other Tales Page 20
