Esmeralda | Page 5

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 Cl��lie'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 Cl��lie 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 round; but I told him I knew you wouldn't for you wasn't that kind."
"I find him," said Cl��lie to me, "inexpressibly mournful,--even though he excites one to smile? upon all occasions. Is it not mournful that his very suffering should be absurd. Mon Dieu! he does not wear his clothes--he bears them about with him--he simply carries them."
It was about this time that Mademoiselle Esmeralda was rendered doubly unhappy. Since their residence in Paris Madame had been industriously occupied in making efforts to enter society. She had struggled violently and indefatigably. She was at once persistent and