United States or São Tomé and Príncipe ? Vote for the TOP Country of the Week !
The marriage of a daughter of the Troisvilles with General Montcornet, so far from opening the eyes of the Antiquities, very nearly brought about a rupture between the Troisvilles and the salon d'Esgrignon, the latter declaring that the Troisvilles were mixing themselves up with all sorts of people. There was one, and one only, among all these folk who did not share their illusions.
I dismiss you!" cried the general, striking him with his whip, blows which the steward always denied having received, for they were given behind closed doors. "I shall not go without my release in full," said Gaubertin, coldly, keeping at a distance from the enraged soldier. "We will see what is thought of you in a police court," replied Montcornet, shrugging his shoulders.
Madame de Montcornet walked in front with Blondet. The abbe and Michaud and his wife talked in a low voice of the revelation that had just been made to the countess of the state of the country. "Perhaps it is providential," said the abbe; "for if madame is willing, we might, perhaps, by dint of benefits and constant consideration of their wants, change the hearts of these people."
"Have you no mother?" asked Madame de Montcornet, unable otherwise to explain the child's nakedness. "No, ma'am; m'ma died of grief for losing p'pa, who went to the army in 1812 without marrying her with papers, and got frozen, saving your presence. But I've my Grandpa Fourchon, who is a good man, though he does beat me bad sometimes."
A burning desire for vengeance led him to settle at Ville-aux-Fayes, and to take a position where he could injure Montcornet and stir up sufficient enmity against to force him to sell Les Aigues. The general was deceived by appearances; for Gaubertin's external behavior was not of a nature to warn or to alarm him.
This rapid summary will have the merit of introducing some of the principal actors in this drama, and of exhibiting their individual interests; we shall thus be enabled to show the dangers which surrounded the General comte de Montcornet at the moment when this history opens.
One single pallid and fatigued face turned to the newcomer, and said with a glance that flashed and died out like the sparkle of a diamond: "When we say military men, we do not mean civil, Monsieur le Ministre." "My dear fellow," said Montcornet to Soulanges, leading him into a corner, "the Emperor spoke warmly in your praise this morning, and your promotion to be field-marshal is a certainty."
With no future before him and not knowing how to employ himself, the prospect of finding an amusing little war in the functions of keeper, attracted him; and as the grand army and the Emperor had hitherto stood him in place of a religion, so now he swore to serve the brave Montcornet against and through all and everything.
He said that he was loved for his own sake; he said a good many foolish things that a man will say when he is smitten with a tender passion, and thought the while that he was doing a clever thing. Mme. de Bargeton bit her lips. There was no more to be said. Mme. d'Espard brought Mme. de Montcornet to her cousin, and Lucien became the hero of the evening, so to speak.
"She is gone to carry milk to Mademoiselle Gaillard at the gate of Conches; she will soon be back, for it is more than an hour since she started." "Well, I'll go and meet her with those gentlemen," said Madame de Montcornet, going downstairs. Just as the countess opened her parasol, Michaud came up and told her that the general had left her a widow for probably two days.
Word Of The Day