But don't speak of me, let us talk of your affairs. You
are directly in front of the enemy," she added, pointing to the
windows of the Rouget house.
"They are sitting down to dinner," said Adolphine.
The young girl, destined for a cloister, was constantly looking out of
the window, in hopes of getting some light upon the enormities imputed
to Maxence Gilet, the Rabouilleuse, and Jean-Jacques, of which a few
words reached her ears whenever she was sent out of the room that
others might talk about them. The old lady now told her granddaughter
to leave her alone with Madame Bridau and Joseph until the arrival of
visitors.
"For," she said, turning to the Parisians, "I know my Issoudun by
heart; we shall have ten or twelve batches of inquisitive folk here
to-night."
In fact Madame Hochon had hardly related the events and the details
concerning the astounding influence obtained by Maxence Gilet and the
Rabouilleuse over Jean-Jacques Rouget (without, of course, following
the synthetical method with which they have been presented here),
adding the many comments, descriptions, and hypotheses with which the
good and evil tongues of the town embroidered them, before Adolphine
announced the approach of the Borniche, Beaussier, Lousteau-Prangin,
Fichet, Goddet-Herau families; in all, fourteen persons looming in the
distance.
"You now see, my dear child," said the old lady, concluding her tale,
"that it will not be an easy matter to get this property out of the
jaws of the wolf--"
"It seems to me so difficult--with a scoundrel such as you represent
him, and a daring woman like that crab-girl--as to be actually
impossible," remarked Joseph.
Pages:
222
223
224
225
226
227
228
229
230
231
232
233
234
235
236
237
238
239
240
241
242
243
244
245
246