The Mysteries of Paris, illustrated with etchings, Vol. 3Sue, Eugène
General
The Mysteries of Paris, illustrated with etchings, Vol. 3
Sue, Eugène
Paris (France) -- Fiction
"Oh, bless you, you have not yet come to the end of your services! Why,
do you not intend to take me out every Sunday, either to the Boulevards
or beyond the barriers? You know that is the only day I can enjoy a
little pleasure."
"To be sure I do; and when summer comes we will go into the country."
"No, no, I hate the country! I cannot bear to be anywhere but in Paris.
Yet I used, once upon a time, to go, out of good nature, with a young
friend of mine, who was with me in prison, to visit Meudon and St.
Germain. My friend was a very nice, good girl, and because she had such
a sweet voice, and was always singing, people used to call her the
Goualeuse."
"And what has become of her?"
"I don't know. She spent all the money she brought with her out of
prison, without seeming to have much pleasure for it; she was inclined
to be mournful and serious, though kind and sympathising to every one.
At the time we used to go out together I had not met with any work to
do, but directly I procured employment, I never allowed myself a
holiday. I gave her my address, but, as she never came to see me, I
suppose she, like myself, was too busy to spare the time. But I dare say
you don't care to hear any more about her; I only mentioned it because I
wanted to show you that it is no use asking me to go into the country
with you, for I never did, and never will go there, except with the
young friend I was telling you about; but whenever you can afford to
take me out to dinner or to the play, I shall be quite ready to
accompany you, and when it does not suit you to spend the money, or when
you have none to spend, why then we will take a walk, and have a good
look at the shops, which is almost the nicest thing I know, unless it is
buying at them. And I promise you, you shall have no reason to feel
ashamed of my appearance, let us go out among ever such company. Oh,
when I wear my dark blue levantine silk gown, I flatter myself I _do_
look like somebody! It is such a love of a dress, and fits me so
beautifully! I never wear it but on Sundays, and then I put on such a
love of a lace cap, trimmed with shaded orange-colour riband, which
looks so well with dark hair like mine; then I have some such elegant
boots of satin hue, made for me, not bought at the Temple! And last of
all comes such a shawl! Oh, neighbour, I doubt if you ever walked with
any one in such perfect beauty; it is a real _bourre-de-soie_, in
imitation of cashmere. I quite expect we shall be stared at and admired
by every one as we go along; the men will look back as they pass me, and
say, 'Upon my word that's an uncommon pretty-looking girl,--she is, 'pon
honour!' Then the women will cry, 'What a stylish-looking man! Do you
see that tall, thin person? I declare, he has such a fashionable
appearance that he might pass as somebody if he liked; what a becoming
and handsome moustachio he has!' And between ourselves, neighbour, I
quite agree with these remarks, and especially about the moustachio, for
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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