gentlemanliketointrudetopicsIdidnotinvite,andashewasreallyintelligentandreallyfondofintellectualsubjectsofdiscourse,heandIalwaysfoundenoughtotalkabout,withoutseekingthemesinthemire.IhatedhisfashionofmentioningloveIabhorred,frommysoul,merelicentiousness.Hefeltthedifferenceofournotions,and,bymutualconsent,wekeptoffgrounddebateable.
Pelet’shousewaskeptandhiskitchenmanagedbyhismother,arealoldFrenchwomanshehadbeenhandsome—atleastshetoldmeso,andIstrovetobelievehershewasnowugly,asonlycontinentaloldwomencanbeperhaps,though,herstyleofdressmadeherlookuglierthanshereallywas.Indoorsshewouldgoaboutwithoutcap,hergreyhairstrangelydishevelledthen,whenathome,sheseldomworeagown—onlyashabbycottoncamisoleshoes,too,werestrangerstoherfeet,andinlieuofthemshesportedroomyslippers,troddendownattheheels.Ontheotherhand,wheneveritwasherpleasuretoappearabroad,asonSundaysandfete-days,shewouldputonsomeverybrilliant-coloureddress,usuallyofthintexture,asilkbonnetwithawreathofflowers,andaveryfineshawl.Shewasnot,inthemain,anill-naturedoldwoman,butanincessantandmostindiscreettalkershekeptchieflyinandaboutthekitchen,andseemedrathertoavoidherson’saugustpresenceofhim,indeed,sheevidentlystoodinawe.Whenhereprovedher,hisreproofswerebitterandunsparingbutheseldomgavehimselfthattrouble.
MadamePelethadherownsociety,herowncircleofchosenvisitors,whom,however,Iseldomsaw,asshegenerallyentertainedtheminwhatshecalledher“cabinet,”asmalldenofaplaceadjoiningthekitchen,anddescendingintoitbyoneortwosteps.Onthesesteps,by-the-by,IhavenotunfrequentlyseenMadamePeletseatedwithatrencheronherknee,engagedinthethreefoldemploymentofeatingherdinner,gossipingwithherfavouriteservant,thehousemaid,andscoldingherantagonist,thecooksheneverdined,andseldomindeedtookanymealwithhersonandastoshowingherfaceattheboys’table,thatwasquiteoutofthequestion.ThesedetailswillsoundveryoddinEnglishears,butBelgiumisnotEngland,anditswaysarenotourways.
MadamePelet’shabitsoflife,then,beingtakenintoconsideration,Iwasagooddealsurpri