Jeanne--that is our cook--brings our breakfast to us _in bed_, all
except of course for Mr. Allen, who can't seem to adapt himself to other
ways of living. The first morning when she started to, he just jumped
out of bed as though the house were on fire, and slammed the door shut
in her face. He can't get over his Anglo-Saxon prudishness. But we have
separate rooms now, and I have my tray in bed, and read my mail there,
and between you and me, it makes me feel just like a heroine in a novel,
to lie there in my pretty negligee--you know in America we don't realize
what negligees are for. When do you ever have a chance to wear one
except when you are sick? And then you don't care. Marise has hers--her
breakfast I mean--in her room, too, as she dresses, and Jeanne always
expects to help her dress, so I don't have to think at all about getting
her off to school! Oh, mes amies, _what_ a rest to one's nerves that is!
Not to have that horrid, hurried hour trying to find clothes and books
and get Marise off in time. I just lie in bed reading the mail or a book
and Marise comes in, all fresh and combed (Jeanne is wonderful with her
hair), and kisses me and says, "Au revoir, Maman." We always try to
speak French together for the practice.
Then, as I am getting dressed, Jeanne comes in, with a clean apron to
"take her orders," in the good old European way. And from that minute
on, I have no more bother about it. Everything is set on the table at
the right time, beautifully cooked, the house is kept clean and in the
most _perfect_ order.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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