Vietnam or Thailand ? Vote for the TOP Country of the Week !
Updated: June 5, 2025
When the fat old Guerbet had mimicked Madame Isaure, Gaubertin's wife, laughed at her languishing airs, imitated her thin voice, her pinched mouth, and her juvenile ways; when the Abbe Taupin had related one of the tales of his repertory; when Lupin had told of some event at Ville-aux-Fayes, and Madame Soudry had been deluged with compliments ad nauseum, the company would say: "We have had a charming game of boston."
This gesture, by which Rigou kept down the process of hand-shaking to the coldest and stiffest of demonstrations would have revealed the whole man to any observer who did not already know him. "Let us find a corner where we can talk quietly," said the ex-monk, looking at Lupin and at Madame Soudry. "Let us return to the salon," replied the queen.
Monsieur Rigou," said Madame Soudry, in a mincing tone, "are women ever out of date?" "You may be right about Madame Sarcus; she doesn't paint before the glass," retorted Rigou, who was always disgusted by the exhibition of the Cochet's ancient charms. Madame Soudry, who thought she used only a "suspicion" of rouge, did not perceive the sarcasm and hastened to say:
"We may go far," said Madame Soudry, "before we find any one to suit the place as well as our poor Sibilet." "Made to order!" exclaimed Gaubertin, still scarlet with mortification. "Lupin," he added, turning to the notary, who was present, "go to Ville-aux-Fayes and whisper it to Marechal, in case that big fire-eater asks his advice."
"I can eat as good a dinner in my room as here, and I have the income of the money this useless splendor would have wasted. Where is Madame Soudry?" he asked, as the mayor returned armed with a venerable bottle. "Asleep." "And you no longer disturb her slumbers?" said Rigou. The ex-gendarme winked with a knowing air, and pointed to the ham which Jeannette, the pretty maid, was just bringing in.
"He is rich enough now," said Lupin, "to be an honest man." "I'll answer for him as I would for myself," said Madame Soudry; "he's the most loyal man in the kingdom." "We all believe in his loyalty," said Rigou, "but nevertheless nothing should be neglected, even among friends By the bye, I think there is some one in Soulanges who is hindering matters." "Who's that?" asked Soudry.
"Yes," said the ex-monk. "Do you know, I begin to think that our associate at Ville-aux-Fayes may be cleverer than the rest of us. I fancy that Gaubertin wants Les Aigues for himself, and that he means to trick us in the end." "But Les Aigues will not belong to any one of us; it will have to come down, from roof to cellar," said Soudry.
Gaubertin suspected some treachery on Soudry's part, and Soudry and Lupin thought they were tricked by Gaubertin. But a statement on the part of the purchasing agent, the notary of Ville-aux-Fayes, disabused them of these suspicions.
Opposite to this house, in another angle of the square stands the famous Cafe de la Paix, the characteristics of which, together with the fascinations of its Tivoli, will require, somewhat later, a less succinct description than that we have given of the Soudry mansion.
At the time when this son was legally supplied with a mother, he had just ended his law studies in Paris and was about to enter into practice, with the intention of fitting himself for the magistracy. It is scarcely necessary to remark that a mutual understanding of twenty years had produced the closest intimacy between the families of Gaubertin and Soudry.
Word Of The Day
Others Looking