Depart Switzerland | Page 6

"You must give me a kiss," presenting my cheek to her. She pretended
not to understand.
"I shall be vexed," said I, gravely but pleasantly, "if you refuse to kiss
me,"
She begged to be excused, saying with a little smile, that it was not
customary to do so at Grenoble.
"Well, if you won't kiss me, you shan't shave me."
The father came in at that point, bringing his bill.
"Your daughter has just shaved me admirably," said I, "and she refuses
to kiss me, because it is not the custom at Grenoble."
"You little silly," said he, "it is the custom in Paris. You kiss me fast
enough after you have shaved me, why should you be less polite to this

gentleman?"
She then kissed me with an air of submission to the paternal decree
which made Manon laugh.
"Ah!" said the father, "your turn will come when you have finished
doing the gentleman's hair."
He was a cunning fellow, who knew the best way to prevent me
cheapening him, but there was no need, as I thought his charges
reasonable, and as I paid him in full he went off in great glee.
Manon did my hair as well as my dear Dubois, and kissed me when she
had done without making as many difficulties as Rose. I thought I
should get on well with both of them. They went downstairs when the
banker was announced.
He was quite a young man, and after he had counted me out four
hundred Louis, he observed that I must be very comfortable.
"Certainly," said I, "the two sisters are delightful."
"Their cousin is better. They are too discreet."
"I suppose they are well off."
"The father has two thousand francs a year. They will be able to marry
well-to-do tradesmen."
I was curious to see the cousin who was said to be prettier than the
sisters, and as soon as the banker had gone I went downstairs to satisfy
my curiosity. I met the father and asked him which was Le Duc's room,
and thereon I went to see my fine fellow. I found him sitting up in a
comfortable bed with a rubicund face which did not look as if he were
dangerously ill.
"What is the matter with you?
"Nothing, sir. I am having a fine time of it. Yesterday I thought I would

be ill."
"What made you think that?"
"The sight of the three Graces here, who are made of better stuff than
your handsome housekeeper, who would not let me kiss her. They are
making me wait too long for my broth, however. I shall have to speak
severely about it."
"Le Duc, you are a rascal."
"Do you want me to get well?"
"I want you to put a stop to this farce, as I don't like it." Just then the
door opened, and the cousin came in with the broth. I thought her
ravishing, and I noticed that in waiting on Le Duc she had an imperious
little air which well became her.
"I shall dine in bed," said my Spaniard.
"You shall be attended to," said the pretty girl, and she went out.
"She puts on big airs," said Le Duc, "but that does not impose on me.
Don't you think she is very pretty?"
"I think you are very impudent. You ape your betters, and I don't
approve of it. Get up. You must wait on me at table, and afterwards you
will eat your dinner by yourself, and try to get yourself respected as an
honest man always is, whatever his condition, so long as he does not
forget himself. You must not stay any longer in this room, the
doorkeeper will give you another."
I went out, and on meeting the fair cousin I told her that I was jealous
of the honour which she had done my man, and that I begged her to
wait on him no longer.
"Oh, I am very glad!"
The door-keeper came up, and I gave him my orders, and went back to

my room to write.
Before dinner the baron came and told me that he had just come from
the lady to whom he had introduced me. She was the wife of a barrister
named Morin, and aunt to the young lady who had so interested me.
"I have been talking of you," said the baron, "and of the impression her
niece made on you. She promised to send for her, and to keep her at the
house all day."
After a dinner as good as the supper of the night before, though
different from it in its details, and appetising enough to awaken the
dead, we went to see Madame Morin, who received us with the easy
grace of a Parisian lady.