The Argosy — page 398: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

376 Aunt Félscité HE ARGOSY. April 1, r&a. be disencumbered of her apron, which, being tied behind, she could not possibly get at—(no one who looked at Madame Trudin could expect her to get round herself easily); and this, by dint of tiptoeing, Marie accomplished. Then the old lady dipped her not very clean hands in the water, in which lay the salad, and wiped them on Marie's skirts; she next wiped her face with a huge red-silk pocket-hand- kerchief, took a pinch of snuff, settled her bonnet, and finally seated herself in her chair, ready to receive her visitor. Yes ; she was coming now, there were steps outside the gate. She got up alertly, and walked towards it, to greet Félicité. It was indeed Mademoiselle Trudin ; but she was not alone. Stand- ing beside her—1in fact, opening the gate for her to pass in—was, as the old lady afterwards told Marie in the kitchen, “le plus jolt garcon du monde.” Madame embraced her daughter, and was duly presented td Mr. Seton. Mademoiselle explained that this English gentleman was a friend of hers ; she had met him quite by accident that morning in the omnibus that brought her to Dives—here Félicité blushed, and looked, her mother thought, wonderfully handsome, as she cast down her eyes—and Monsieur had said he wished to be presented to Madame Trudin. The old lady’s greeting was the rare mixture of grace and cordiality so charming and so peculiar to the old. It won Seton’s heart. He decided that Madame Trudin had more of Geneviéve than of Feélicité in her, just while her daughter stood blessed more than ever in the con- viction that he loved her only. ‘And Monsieur will be good enough to eat something with usP We have breakfast exactly ready. Marie, you can serve the breakfast de suite ; we shall not be seated before Mademoiselle Geneviéve comes back !” Madame screamed out this injunction so that Mane might hear in the kitchen. Félicité turned red, and then very pale. She glanced quickly at Seton, but he was so busy tormenting the parrot that she could not see his face. Madame Trudin was already leading the way indoors. Félicité step- ped up to her and took her by the arm. ‘What art thou thinking of, maman? Thy largest round table will only hold three! It is insufferable to be cramped at meals! What brings Geneviéve here ?” She spoke in a cold, severe voice, that Madame Tmdin plainly feared. In her alarm, she had nearly said Geneviéve had come over of her own accord; but motherly feeling checked the words. AI} at once, her cowed look departed, the smiles returned to her rosy old face, and she snapped her fingers in tnumph. “T have it, Félicité! I was thinking but now that Mane, in her sabots, would make a clumsy waitress for such a grand milord ECOMnicoOOkKS.CoOm _