Esmeralda | Page 5

was at first. We're not
like mother. Mother she was raised in a town,--she was raised in
'Lizabethville,--an' she allers took to town ways; but me an' Esmeraldy,
we was raised in the mountains, right under the shadder of old Bald, an'
town goes hard with us. Seems like we're allers a thinkin' of North
Callina. An' mother she gits outed, which is likely. She says we'd ought
to fit ourselves fur our higher pear, an' I dessay we'd ought,--but you
see it goes sorter hard with us. An' Esmeraldy she has her trouble an' I
can't help a sympathizin' with her, fur young folks will be young folks;
an' I was young folks once myself. Once--once I sot a heap o' store by
mother. So you see-how it is."

"It is very sad, Monsieur," I answered with gravity. Singular as it may
appear, this was not so laughable to me as it might seem. It was so
apparent that he did not anticipate ridicule. And my Clélie's interest in
these people also rendered them sacred in my eyes.
"Yes," he returned, "that's so; an' sometimes it's wuss than you'd
think--when mother's outed. An' that's why I'm glad as Mis' Dimar an'
Esmeraldy is such friends."
It struck me at this moment that he had some request to make of me. He
grasped the lapel of my coat somewhat more tightly as if requiring
additional support, and finally bent forward and addressed me with
caution, "Do you think as Mis' Dimar would mind it ef now an' then I
was to step in fur Esmeraldy, an' set a little--just in a kinder neighborin'
way. Esmeraldy, she says you're so sosherble. And I haint been
sosherble with no one fur--fur a right smart spell. And it seems like I
kinder hanker arter it. You've no idea, Mister, how lonesome a man can
git when he hankers to be sosherble an' haint no one to be sosherble
with. Mother, she says, 'Go out on the Champs Elizy and promenard,'
and I've done it; but some ways it don't reach the spot. I don't seem to
get sosherble with no one. I've spoke to--may be through us speakin'
different languages, an' not comin' to a understandin'. I've tried it loud
an' I've tried it low an' encouragen', but some ways we never seemed to
get on. An' er Mis' Dimar wouldn't take no exceptions at me a-drop-pin'
in, I feel as ef I should be sorter uplifted--if she'd only allow it once a
week or even fewer."
"Monsieur," I replied with warmth, "I beg you will consider our salon
at your disposal, not once a week but at all times, and Madame
Desmarres would certainly join me in the invitation if she were upon
the spot."
He released the lapel of my coat and grasped my hand, shaking it with
fervor.
"Now, that's clever, that is," he said. "An' its friendly, an' I'm obligated
to ye."

Since he appeared to have nothing further to say we went down-stairs
together. At the door we parted.
"I'm a-goin'," he remarked, "to the Champs Elizy to promenard. Where
are you a-goin'?"
"To the Boulevard Haussmann, Monsieur, to give a lesson," I returned.
"I will wish you good-morning."
"Good-mornin'," he answered. "Bong"--reflecting deeply for a
moment--"Bong jore. I'm a tryin' to learn it, you see, with a view to
bein' more sosherbler. Bong jore" And thus took his departure.
After this we saw him frequently. In fact it became his habit to follow
Mademoiselle Esmeralda in all her visits to our apartment. A few
minutes after her arrival we usually heard a timid knock upon the outer
door, which proved to emanate from Monsieur, who always entered
with a laborious "Bong jore" and always slipped deprecatingly into the
least comfortable chair near the fire, hurriedly concealing his hat
beneath it.
In him also my Clélie became much interested. On my own part I could
not cease to admire the fine feeling and delicate tact she continually
exhibited in her manner toward him. In time he even appeared to lose
something of his first embarrassment and discomfort, though he was
always inclined to a reverent silence in her presence.
"He don't say much, don't father," said Mademoiselle Esmeralda, with
tears in her pretty eyes. "He's like me, but you don't know what comfort
he's taking when he sits and listens and stirs his chocolate round and
round without drinking it. He doesn't drink it because he aint used to it;
but he likes to have it when we do, because he says it makes him feel
sosherble. He's trying to learn to drink it too--he practices every day a
little at a time. He was powerful afraid at first that you'd take
exceptions to him doing nothing but stir it