Brother Jacques (Novels of Paul de Kock, Volume XVII)Kock, Paul de
General
Brother Jacques (Novels of Paul de Kock, Volume XVII)
Kock, Paul de
Brothers -- Fiction; French fiction -- Translations into English; Paris (France) -- Fiction
“No, my friend,” replied Adeline; “I have been too happy there not to
wish to pass the rest of my life there; happy memories will sometimes
mingle with my sad thoughts; I will banish from my mind all that he has
done elsewhere than there, and I will try to remember only the days of
his affection for me; then I shall at least be able to weep for him
without blushing.”
The Guillot family learned with delight that their friends were not to
leave the country; for the road from Villeneuve-Saint-Georges to the
farm was a pleasant walk, and they promised one another to take it often
in the fine weather.
Four days after their arrival, our travellers started for the new abode
in which they proposed to establish themselves. Adeline’s eyes were wet
with tears when she stood once more in that house, when she saw again
those gardens which had witnessed the first months of her married
life--such pleasant months, which passed so quickly, never to return!
Catherine took possession of the kitchen, Lucas of the garden and of the
post of concierge. Monsieur Gerval chose a room between Jacques and
Adeline, whom he liked to have near him; and little Ermance remained
with her mother, to cheer her by her prattle, to charm away her
melancholy by her caresses, and to mingle some hopes with her memories.
Sans-Souci wished to resume his labors at the farm, but Monsieur Gerval
and Jacques remonstrated.
“You saved my life,” said the old man, “and I don’t want you to leave
me.”
“You shared my trials and my adversity,” said Jacques, “and you must
share my fortune; everything is common between us.”
“Sacrebleu!” said Sans-Souci, passing his hand over his eyes, “these
people do whatever they please with me. I will stay with you, that’s all
right, but only on condition that I shall be at liberty to go to walk
when you have company, and that I shan’t sit at table with Madame
Adeline; for a man should be respectful to his superiors, and I am as
stupid as a goose in society.”
“You shall go to walk as much as you please,” said the old man; “you
shall hunt and fish, and smoke if that will give you pleasure; but you
are going to sit at table with us, because a brave man is out of place
nowhere.”
“All right, ten thousand cartridges! I see I must submit to that too.”
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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