The Flower Girl of The Château d'Eau, v.2 (Novels of Paul de Kock Volume XVI)Kock, Paul de
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The Flower Girl of The Château d'Eau, v.2 (Novels of Paul de Kock Volume XVI)
Kock, Paul de
French fiction -- Translations into English
"Ah! monsieur is leaving us?" said Beauvinet, pulling at one side of his
wig. "If anyone comes to ask for monsieur, what address shall I give?"
"You may send them to Passage I-don't-know-where, the first door to the
right as you enter Paris by the Barriere de l'Etoile."
When Roncherolle had been gone a long time, the young man was still
pulling at his wig, saying to himself:
"Passage I-don't-know-where! that's funny; I know all the passages in
Paris except that one."
XXXII
A BUNCH OF VIOLETS
Since the Comte de Brevanne had spoken to Violette, and since she had
seen Georget look at her from a distance, and then walk hastily away,
with a glance of contempt at her, the young flower girl felt every day
more depressed and discouraged. So long as Georget had been near her, so
long as she was able to see him morning and evening, and read in his
eyes the love he felt for her, the young girl had looked upon that love
as a mere childish freak, and had refused to admit to herself that she
shared the sentiment which she aroused.
But now that her young lover had left Paris in order to avoid being near
her, now that he had fled from her, and when he met her manifested no
other feeling than that of contempt or hatred, poor Violette realized
how dearly she loved Georget; and, what was even more cruel, how dearly
she still loved him, despite the grief he caused her.
When she learned that the gentleman who had questioned her concerning
Georget was the young messenger's patron, the pretty flower girl had
felt a thrill of joy, and hope had returned to her heart; she flattered
herself that through the medium of Monsieur Malberg, she could convince
her lover that he had done wrong to suspect her. But the abrupt way in
which the count left her dispelled that hope.
However, as hope does not quickly leave a young heart, especially that
of a young woman who knows that she is pretty, Violette flattered
herself for several days that Georget would return to Paris, that he
would pass her booth, and that he would not have the courage not to
stop; then she said to herself also that this Monsieur Malberg, who had
asked her so many questions concerning her age and her mother, would
probably want to see her again. But the days passed and no one came,
neither Georget, nor his patron. A single man passed now and then in
front of the booth of the flower girl, at whom he cast insulting
glances, glances which seemed to enjoy the grief that he could read on
her face. That man was the author of all the girl's trials; and once
even he had dared to approach her and had tried to make love to her; but
thereupon Violette had risen, so indignant and so threatening, and the
flashing eyes which she turned upon Jericourt denoted such a determined
resolution, and her right hand had grasped so quickly several bunches of
thorns which were among her flowers, that he had walked rapidly away,
and had never again attempted to enter into conversation with the flower
girl.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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