FREE BOOKS

Author's List




PREV.   NEXT  
|<   73   74   75   76   77   78   79   80   81   82   83   84   85   86   87   88   89   90   91   92   93   94   95   96   97  
98   99   100   101   102   103   104   105   106   107   108   109   110   111   112   113   114   115   116   117   >>  
ning, and saying to myself as I went on writing like a stupid machine: 'And yet--and yet--if I chose!'--" "Doubtless, you could, like others, surer than others, have reached a higher position," said Adrienne, greatly struck with Rodin's practical philosophy. "Yes, I think I could have done so; but for what purpose?--You see, my dear young lady, what often renders people of some merit puzzles to the vulgar, is that they are frequently content to say: 'If I chose!'" "But, sir, without attaching much importance to the luxuries of life, there is a certain degree of comfort, which age renders almost indispensable, and which you seem to have utterly renounced." "Undeceive yourself, if you please, my dear young lady," said Rodin, with a playful smile. "I am a true Sybarite; I require absolutely warm clothes, a good stove, a soft mattress, a good piece of bread, a fresh radish, flavored with good cheap salt, and some good, clear water; and, notwithstanding this complication of wants, my twelve hundred francs have always more than sufficed, for I have been able to make some little savings." "But now that you are without employment, how will you manage to live, sir?" said Adrienne, more and more interested by the singularities of this man, and wishing to put his disinterestedness to the proof. "I have laid by a little, which will serve me till I have unravelled the last thread of Father d'Aigrigny's dark designs. I owe myself this reparation, for having been his dupe; three or four days, I hope, will complete the work. After that, I have the certainty of meeting with a situation, in my native province, under a collector of taxes: some time ago, the offer was made me by a friend; but then I would not leave Father d'Aigrigny, notwithstanding the advantages proposed. Fancy, my dear young lady--eight hundred francs, with board and lodging! As I am a little of the roughest, I should have preferred lodging apart; but, as they give me so much, I must submit to this little inconvenience." Nothing could exceed Rodin's ingenuity, in making these little household confidences (so abominably false) to Mdlle. de Cardoville, who felt her last suspicions give way. "What, sir?" said she to the Jesuit, with interest; "in three or four days, you mean to quit Paris?" "I hope to do so, my dear young lady; and that," added he, in a mysterious tone, "and that for many reasons. But what would be very precious to me," he resumed, in a
PREV.   NEXT  
|<   73   74   75   76   77   78   79   80   81   82   83   84   85   86   87   88   89   90   91   92   93   94   95   96   97  
98   99   100   101   102   103   104   105   106   107   108   109   110   111   112   113   114   115   116   117   >>  



Top keywords:

Father

 
Aigrigny
 

notwithstanding

 

hundred

 

francs

 

lodging

 

Adrienne

 

renders

 

complete

 

situation


collector

 

province

 

native

 

certainty

 

meeting

 

mysterious

 

thread

 

precious

 

resumed

 

unravelled


designs

 

reparation

 

reasons

 

ingenuity

 

suspicions

 

exceed

 

Nothing

 

submit

 

inconvenience

 

making


Cardoville

 

abominably

 
household
 
confidences
 

advantages

 

friend

 

proposed

 

preferred

 

Jesuit

 

roughest


interest

 

twelve

 

content

 

attaching

 

frequently

 

vulgar

 

people

 

puzzles

 

importance

 
luxuries