FREE BOOKS

Author's List




PREV.   NEXT  
|<   112   113   114   115   116   117   118   119   120   121   122   123   124   125   126   127   128   129   130   131   132   133   134   135   136  
137   138   139   140   141   142   143   144   145   146   147   148   149   150   151   152   153   154   155   156   157   158   159   160   161   >>   >|  
"Ah, so much the better!" cried the young girl. "So much the better. I do hope there will be enough so as to meet with no refusal!" Grandpapa Chandore began to comprehend. "After all," he said, "you have not told me where we are going." "To my dressmakers." "To the Misses Mechinet?" "Yes." M. de Chandore was sure now. "We shall not find them at home," he said. "This is Sunday; and they are no doubt at church." "We shall find them, grandpapa; for they always take tea at half-past seven, for their brother's, the clerk's sake. But we must make haste." The old gentleman did make haste; but it is a long way from the New-Market Place to Hill Street; for the sisters Mechinet lived on the Square, and, if you please, in a house of their own,--a house which was to be the delight of their days, and which had become the trouble of their nights. They bought the house the year before the war, upon their brother's advice, and going halves with him, paying a sum of forty-seven thousand francs, every thing included. It was a capital bargain; for they rented out the basement and the first story to the first grocer in Sauveterre. The sisters did not think they were imprudent in paying down ten thousand francs in cash, and in binding themselves to pay the rest in three yearly instalments. The first year all went well; but then came the war and numerous disasters. The income of the sisters and of the brother was much reduced, and they had nothing to live upon but his pay as clerk; so that they had to use the utmost economy, and even contract some debts, in order to pay the second instalment. When peace came, their income increased again, and no one doubted in Sauveterre but that they would manage to get out of their difficulties, as the brother was one of the hardest working men, and the sisters were patronized by "the most distinguished" ladies of the whole country. "Grandpapa, they are at home," said Dionysia, when they reached the Square. "Do you think so?" "I am sure. I see light in their windows." M. de Chandore stopped. "What am I to do next?" he asked. "You are going to give me the bonds, grandpapa, and to wait for me here, walking up and down, whilst I am going to the Misses Mechinet. I would ask you to come up too; but they would be frightened at seeing you. Moreover, if my enterprise does not succeed, it would not matter much as long as it concerned only a little girl." The old gentleman'
PREV.   NEXT  
|<   112   113   114   115   116   117   118   119   120   121   122   123   124   125   126   127   128   129   130   131   132   133   134   135   136  
137   138   139   140   141   142   143   144   145   146   147   148   149   150   151   152   153   154   155   156   157   158   159   160   161   >>   >|  



Top keywords:
brother
 

sisters

 

Mechinet

 
Chandore
 

gentleman

 

income

 

thousand

 

paying

 

grandpapa

 

Sauveterre


Square

 
francs
 

Misses

 
Grandpapa
 
increased
 

frightened

 

instalment

 

Moreover

 

contract

 

reduced


disasters

 

numerous

 

concerned

 

enterprise

 

utmost

 
economy
 

matter

 

succeed

 

difficulties

 

reached


country

 

Dionysia

 
windows
 

stopped

 

ladies

 

distinguished

 

manage

 

doubted

 

hardest

 

whilst


patronized
 
working
 

walking

 

church

 

Sunday

 
Market
 

refusal

 
dressmakers
 
comprehend
 

Street