Moral Tales Page 10

  OLD GENEVI?VE.

  "How stupid you are! How absurdly you have put in that pin! You havelaced me all on one side. Oh! I shall be horribly dressed; this isunbearable: I never saw anything so awkward."

  It was pretty much in this style that Emmeline was in the habit ofspeaking to old Genevi?ve, whose duty it was to wait upon her, sinceshe had lost her nurse, and after having seen Emmeline quite aninfant, she never expected to be treated by her in this way; but ithad been observed that for some time past, Emmeline, though naturallykind and gentle, and even rather timid, had nevertheless assumedwith the servants haughty airs, to which she had not previouslybeen accustomed. She no longer thanked them when they waited uponher at table, and asked for what she wanted without even saying,_if you please_. Up to this time, she had never followed her motherthrough an antechamber, where the servants rose as they passed,without acknowledging by a slight bow, this mark of their respect;but now she seemed to think it would be derogatory to her dignity,not to pass among them with her head higher than usual. It might,however, be seen that she blushed a little, and that it required aneffort on her part to assume these manners, which were not naturalto her. Her mother, Madame d'Altier, who began to perceive thischange, had more than once reprimanded her on account of it, so thatEmmeline did not dare to give herself too many of these airs in herpresence. She chiefly affected them when in the society of Madame deSerres, a young woman of seventeen, who had been a year and a halfmarried, and who from her childhood, had been greatly spoiled, asshe was very rich and had no parents. Even now she was spoiled byher mother-in-law, who had been very anxious that she should marryher son, and also by her husband, who, almost as young as herself,allowed her to do just what she pleased. As she was not in the habitof inconveniencing herself in the least for any one, she did so stillless for her servants; consequently she was incessantly complainingof their insolence, because the severe and imperious manners sheassumed towards them, sometimes led them to forget the respect theyowed her, while the extravagance of her whims rendered them impatient.

  Emmeline, who was at that time fourteen years of age, and desirousof playing the grand lady, imagined that she could not do betterthan imitate the manners of her cousin, whom she saw almost everyday, because Madame de Serres, when in Paris, resided in the samestreet as Madame d'Altier, and in the country occupied a neighbouringch?teau. Emmeline had not, however, dared to display the whole ofher impertinence towards her mother's servants, who had been a longtime in the family, and accustomed to be well treated, and who,the first time she manifested these arrogant and impertinent airs,would probably have laughed outright at her. She therefore contentedherself with being neither kind nor civil to them. They did not serveher any the less on this account, because they knew it was their dutyto attend to her; but when they compared her with her mother, whoshowed so little anxiety to exercise the right which she really hadto command them, they thought the conduct of Emmeline very ridiculous.

  Emmeline, indeed, was sometimes conscious of this, and becamementally impatient, because she did not dare to subject them to herauthority; but she revenged herself upon Genevi?ve, who, born on theestate of M. d'Altier, was accustomed to regard with great respect,even the little children of the family of her seigneurs; besides,until lately, she had never had the honour of being completelyattached to the ch?teau, though she had been employed there almostdaily during the last twenty years, in some inferior occupations;consequently, when Madame d'Altier, on her arrival in the countrythis year, knowing her respectability, had engaged her to assistEmmeline in dressing, and to attend to her room, she consideredherself elevated in condition, but without being any the more proudon this account. She looked upon Emmeline, whom she had not seen forten years, as a person whom she was bound to respect, and from whomshe ought to endure everything. When the latter, therefore, thoughtproper to exercise her authority over her, by making use of any harshexpression she could think of (and she would have used many more hadshe not been too well brought up to be familiar with them), Genevi?venever replied; she only made all the haste she could, either to getaway, or to avoid irritating her further, and in consequence, shewas only the more awkward, and the more harshly treated.

  One day, while she was arranging Emmeline's room, it happenedthat the latter wished to send her on an errand into the village;but as Genevi?ve continued her occupation, Emmeline became angry,considering it very strange that she was not obeyed. Genevi?verepresented to her that if, after breakfast, when she returned to herroom to draw, she did not find it in order, she would scold her, andthat, nevertheless, it was necessary to have time for everything.As she was right, Emmeline ordered her to be silent, saying thatshe provoked her. Madame d'Altier, who from the adjoining room, hadoverheard the conversation, called to her daughter, and said, "Areyou quite sure, Emmeline, that you were right in your discussion withGenevi?ve? because, after having assumed such a tone as that with aservant, it would be extremely annoying to find, in the end, that youhad been wrong."

  "But, mamma," replied Emmeline, a little ashamed, "when instead ofdoing what I tell her, Genevi?ve amuses herself with answering me, itis necessary to stop her."

  "You are then certain, before having examined, or even heard herreasons, that they cannot be good?"

  "It seems to me, mamma, that a servant is always wrong in arguing,instead of doing what she has been ordered to do."

  "That is to say, she is wrong even when she is right, and when she isordered to do anything which is impossible."

  "Oh! mamma, these people always find things impossible, because theydo not like them."

  "This is the way your cousin would talk: I wish, Emmeline, you hadspirit enough to invent ridiculous airs for yourself, instead ofassuming those of other people."

  "I don't stand in need of my cousin," said Emmeline, much piqued, "toknow that Genevi?ve never does half she is told to do."

  "If you have no other means of obtaining her obedience than those youhave just employed, I am sorry for it; I must take her away from you,for I pay her to wait upon you, and not to be ill treated; I havenever paid any one for that purpose."

  Madame d'Altier said these words in so firm a tone, that her daughterdid not dare to reply. However, she consoled herself in talking toher cousin, who came to spend an hour with her, and they both agreedthat Madame d'Altier did not know how to manage her servants. Thiswas an unlucky day for Emmeline; the conversation with her cousinhad taken place in one of the garden-walks, and just as she hadterminated it, she saw her mother coming from a neighbouring one.Madame d'Altier smiled at the prattle of these little personages, whopresumed to set themselves up as judges of her conduct. She lookedat her daughter, who blushed excessively, and seeing Genevi?ve,she called to her to remove some branches, which were in her way.Genevi?ve replied, that she would come as soon as she had carriedsome food to the turkeys, which were screeching like mad things,because they were hungry. "In truth," said Madame d'Altier, "it isevident, as you very justly observed, that I do not know how to getserved before my turkeys; I suppose, therefore, I must be thoughtmore reasonable and less impatient than they are." But at thismoment they beheld Genevi?ve, who putting, or rather throwing, onthe ground the vessel she held in her hand, began to run with theutmost precipitation towards the house. "Gracious me!" she cried, asshe ran along, "I have forgotten to close the window in MademoiselleEmmeline's room, as she ordered me. I must make haste," she repeated,quite out of breath. "I congratulate you, my child," said Madamed'Altier, "I see that you have more talent than my turkeys even, ingetting waited upon."

  Emmeline said nothing, but she glanced at her cousin as she wasaccustomed to do, whenever anything was said which displeased her.Madame de Serres, who considered herself interrupted in her importantconferences with her cousin, and who was afraid to display allher fine ideas in the presence of her aunt, of whose good senseand raillery she stood in awe, returned to her carriage, for thepurpose of paying a visit in the neighbourhood, accompanied by herlady's-maid, who always attended her
in her drives, because she wasstill too young to go alone. She promised to come back to dinner, andEmmeline went to attend her flowers.

  "Oh, dear," she exclaimed, as she reached the terrace, where thepots were arranged, which served for the decoration of her room,"last night's rain has scattered the blossoms of all my roses, and myjasmine has not a single flower left upon it. Genevi?ve might havetaken them in last night, but she can do nothing. She never thinks ofanything."

  "But, mademoiselle," said old Genevi?ve, who happened to be close athand, "I dare not touch your flowerpots, for fear of breaking them."

  "Did you take in mine?" said Madame d'Altier.

  "Oh! yes, madame."

  "I am very glad to find," said Madame d'Altier, looking at herdaughter, "that I can be attended to without compelling attention."

  "But, mamma, I never told her not to touch my flowerpots," repliedEmmeline.

  "No; but probably for the smallest thing she breaks, you scold her somuch, that she is afraid to run the risk of again exposing herself toyour anger."

  "It is absolutely necessary, mamma," she said, as she ascended thesteps to take in her flowers, "Genevi?ve is so awkward, and pays solittle attention, that...." As she uttered these words, one of theflowerpots slipped from her hands, fell on the steps, and was brokeninto a thousand pieces.

  "She is so awkward," rejoined Madame d'Altier, "that precisely thesame thing happens to her sometimes, that would happen to you aswell, had you the same duties to perform."

  "Indeed, mamma," said Emmeline, very much irritated, "what hashappened to me is quite disagreeable enough without...."

  "Without what, my child?"

  Emmeline paused, ashamed of her impatience. Madame d'Altier took herhand, and made her sit down by her. "When your ill-humour is over,my child, we will reason together." Emmeline kissed in silence thehand of her mother, who said, "Is it then so very vexatious a matter,my child, to have broken this pot of coloured earth, which can beimmediately replaced by one from the greenhouse, where you know youcan choose for yourself?"

  "No, mamma, but...."

  "It cannot be on account of your anemone, which is past flowering,and which you told me you would return to the beds. You are sparedthe trouble of unpotting it." Emmeline smiled.

  "Yes, mamma, but on these occasions one always feels somethingdisagreeable, which makes one dislike...."

  "To be tormented; is it not so, my dear? And yet it is preciselythese moments you select to scold and ill-treat Genevi?ve, when anyaccident of this kind happens to her, as if to add to her vexationand confusion."

  "But, mamma, it is her duty to pay attention to what she is doing."

  "Is it more her duty than it is yours, when you are attending to yourown business? Do you wish her to be more careful of your interestthan you can be yourself, and require that her anxiety to serve youshould make her escape accidents, which you cannot avoid, for yourown sake?"

  "But, nevertheless, what I break is my own, and I am quitesufficiently punished, whereas she...."

  "Cannot be sufficiently punished, I perceive, for having caused youa momentary vexation; and not only is this your own opinion, but youwant it to be hers likewise, for you would consider it very improperif she wished to prove to you that you were wrong."

  "Undoubtedly, mamma, it would be very absurd if Genevi?ve took itinto her head to argue with me, when I told her to do anything."

  "I understand. When you are out of humour, Genevi?ve ought to say toherself, 'I am a servant, it is consequently my duty to be rationaland patient, for the sake of Mademoiselle Emmeline, who is incapableof being so. If my age, my infirmities, or, in fine, any weaknessof my nature, render my duties at certain time more difficult toperform, I ought resolutely to surmount every obstacle, for fearof causing Mademoiselle Emmeline a moment's disappointment orcontradiction, as she would not have sufficient strength of mind toendure it. If her impatience wounds my feelings, if her ill-temperprovokes me, if her fancies appear to me ridiculous and unbearable,still I ought to submit to them, as she is a poor little creature,from whom one cannot expect anything better.'"

  "Genevi?ve would show very little attachment," replied Emmeline,greatly piqued, "if she could entertain such thoughts as these."

  At this moment Madame de Serres arrived, very much agitated andangry. "Just imagine, my dear aunt," she said to Madame d'Altier,as she approached, "my maid is going to leave me. She selected thetime when she was in the carriage with me, to announce her intention;therefore I had her set down in the road, and she may get back as shepleases. Will you have the kindness to allow your maid to accompanyme home? I had this person in my service long before my marriage, andshe leaves me for a situation which she says suits her better. Whocan rely on the attachment of such people?"

  "Were you very much attached to her?" asked Madame d'Altier,carelessly.

  "Oh! not at all; she is slow and disagreeable. I should have takenanother could I have found one."

  Madame d'Altier laughed. It seemed to her excessively absurd that itshould be a perpetual subject of complaint and astonishment, that aservant is not more attached to the master whom he has served manyyears, while the master considers it quite a matter of course to carenothing about the servant, by whom he has been served during all thistime. Madame de Serres did not perceive that her aunt was laughing ather, but Emmeline observed it, and it sometimes happened that evenshe thought her cousin rather ridiculous. Madame de Serres consoledherself by jesting about the pleasure she should have in beingunder the protection of Mademoiselle Brogniard, Madame d'Altier'slady's-maid, who took her pinch of snuff with such gravity, and whenin the open fields, walked as uprightly, and made her courtesy asregularly as if she had been in a drawing-room, in the midst of fiftypeople. It was agreed, as the weather was fine, and the distance buttrifling across the fields, that Madame de Serres should walk, andthat Emmeline should accompany her with Mademoiselle Brogniard, andalso that they should call and take some milk at a farm, which layalmost on their road. They set off soon after dinner; but scarcelyhad they reached the farm, when the weather, which up to that timehad been fine, suddenly changed, and the rain began to fall intorrents. When, after the lapse of an hour, it had ceased, andthey resolved to continue their way, the country was so completelyinundated, that they sank ankle-deep into the mud. Madame de Serreswas in great distress because she had not returned home in hercarriage. Emmeline, rather shocked at observing that she thought ofno one but herself, exclaimed, as she perceived Genevi?ve comingtowards her with a parcel,

  "Well! as for me, here's Genevi?ve bringing my cloak and boots."

  "No," replied Genevi?ve, "but I have brought Mademoiselle Brogniard'sfur shoes, and wadded dress, for I thought that with her rheumatismthe damp might do her a great deal of harm."

  "You might at least, at the same time," said Emmeline, angrily, "havebrought my boots."

  "But you did not tell me to do so, Mademoiselle."

  "Neither did Mademoiselle Brogniard tell you to bring hers."

  "But she knew, Mademoiselle Emmeline," replied MademoiselleBrogniard, sententiously emphasising every word, "that I should begreatly obliged to her; and indeed, Genevi?ve, I am extremely obligedto you."

  "I have only done my duty," said Genevi?ve, as she assistedMademoiselle Brogniard to put on her dress. She then went away,leaving Emmeline extremely annoyed at finding that Genevi?veconsidered herself bound to be more attentive to MademoiselleBrogniard than to her. Madame de Serres tried to jest on account ofMademoiselle Brogniard being the best clad and the best served ofthe three; but as the latter said very little, her pleasantry soonterminated, and her lamentations about the carriage recommenced.At last, as they drew near the high road, she perceived it slowlyreturning, and in a transport of delight ran forward towards it.

  "Mademoiselle Brogniard," she said, "I shall soon be at the ch?teau;it will be unnecessary for you to accompany me any further: farewell,my dear," she cried out to Emmeline, "I am delighted to spare you therest of the way," and she depar
ted, without once thinking that shecould have saved Emmeline a walk in the mud, by taking her back inher carriage, at least as far as the avenue of her mother's ch?teau.Emmeline reflected upon this, and saw clearly that her cousin's planof not troubling herself about the comfort of those who were in herservice, formed part of a much more extensive plan, which was that ofnot troubling herself about any one.

  These reflections, and the representations of her mother, had theeffect of sparing Genevi?ve some haughty airs, and some caprices;but Emmeline could not treat her with kindness. Her orders werealways delivered in a brief and dry manner, and she was constantlygiving orders. She took no pains to discover whether what she orderedcould be easily or more conveniently done at one time, or in onemanner than another, neither did she take any interest in anythingthat concerned Genevi?ve, for Emmeline imagined that this kind offamiliarity would have made her appear childish.

  Towards the end of the summer, Madame d'Altier and her daughterwent with Madame de Serres to spend some days at a ch?teau in theneighbourhood. Madame de Ligneville, the mistress of the ch?teau,was a young woman twenty-two years of age, extremely gentle andamiable, and especially remarkable for her kindness to her servants,the greater part of whom had surrounded her from her childhood. Herhousekeeper had been her former governess, and Madame de Lignevillewas not afraid of allowing authority in her household to one who hadformerly possessed it over her own person; for in proportion as shebecame reasonable, her governess became as submissive as she hadformerly been rigorous in exacting obedience. Her lady's-maid was thedaughter of this governess, and had been brought up with her, but shewas not on this account the less zealous or respectful. Her footmanhad belonged to her father, her gardener was in the family before herbirth, and sometimes related to her how, when a child, she used toplant bits of apricot, in order that they might become apricot-trees.Every one adored her; everything in her household seemed regulatedby an invisible machinery, and without anything being ever said; anorder appeared like an advertisement to which every one hastened toattend. It was a matter of doubt whether Madame de Ligneville hadever scolded her servants, and they themselves did not believe thatshe had; for if at any time she was obliged to reprove them, theywere more conscious of their own fault than of the reprimand oftheir mistress. Emmeline saw with astonishment that this kindness onher part did not in the least detract either from her elegance orher dignity. It even seemed, that without ever commanding, she hadmuch more the appearance of being mistress than Madame de Serres,who could only obtain obedience by dint of talking, tormenting, andscolding. She also observed, that although people were sometimesamused by the little haughty airs and caprices of her cousin, Madamede Ligneville was treated with much more respect and friendship.

  They had been staying with her for some days, when all the companyof the ch?teau were invited to a f?te, which was to be held at a fewleagues' distance. Madame de Serres and Madame de Ligneville tooka fancy to go there in the costume of a peasant of the province.Emmeline had a dress of this kind, which was immediately sent for toserve as a pattern for the others; but on examining it, Madame deLigneville found it rather complicated, and was afraid her maid wouldnot have time to complete it for the following day, as they were toset out early.

  "Oh! my maid must find time to finish mine," said Madame de Serres."I do not put up with her fancies in this way. You spoil yourservants, my dear," she said, addressing Madame de Ligneville. "Iknow it through Justine, who I believe is cousin to your Sophie;but I warned her that she need not expect to be treated in the samemanner; for, believe me, you will get nothing from them in this way."

  Madame de Ligneville did not reply, for she was not at all anxiousto enforce her opinions on others. Madame de Serres hastened to giveher orders, and Justine immediately set to work. At night, when hermistress retired to her room, the costume was considerably advanced,but it did not suit her fancy. She became angry; said she wouldnever wear such a frightful thing as that, and ordered her to beginit all over again. Justine replied that it would be impossible tofinish it in that case, unless she sat up all night. Madame de Serrestold her that she must do so, adding that it was no great hardship.Justine asserted that she could not, as she was very much fatiguedalready from having worked the whole of the evening. Her mistresstold her that she was an impertinent creature, and that she musteither contrive to bring her the dress by the time she awoke on thefollowing morning, or never again appear in her presence.

  On awaking the following morning, she found her dress in preciselythe same condition as she had left it the previous night. Justinetold her, that as it seemed to be her intention to discharge her,she had come to ask for her dismissal. Madame de Serres flew into apassion; ordered her to leave the room; desired her never to comeinto her presence again, and sent to ask Mademoiselle Brogniard toassist her in dressing; in fine, she made so much noise about whatshe termed Justine's insolence, and was altogether so unreasonable,that the whole house soon became aware of what had occurred, and allwere greatly amused by it, for they had already heard of severalsimilar incidents which had happened to her. At breakfast, sheaffected a manner more than usually easy, to conceal the ill-humourwhich was nevertheless perceptible through it. She made no allusionto her dress, neither did Madame de Ligneville, as she had resolvednot to put on her own, should it even be completed; while Emmeline,very sad because her mother, in order not to annoy her cousin, wouldnot allow her to wear hers, although it was very becoming to her,began to think that Madame de Serres had acted very improperly in hertreatment of Justine.

  After breakfast, all were preparing to go and dress, when theirattention was drawn to Madame de Ligneville's room, in order to seea singular flower, which her gardener had brought her. While there,Sophie entered by one of the inner doors of the apartment, holdingin her hand Madame de Ligneville's dress, completely finished, andthe prettiest thing imaginable: every one looked at it, and all felttempted to glance at Madame de Serres, who, although she blushed, yethastened to express her approbation.

  "Indeed, Sophie," said Madame de Ligneville, very much embarrassed,"I had given it up altogether, for I never could have thought youwould have been able to finish it."

  "Oh, madame," said Sophie, heedlessly, "my cousin helped me, and wegot up very early."

  This cousin was Justine. Madame de Serres blushed still more,and Madame de Ligneville did the same; but every one else feltdisposed to laugh. Emmeline perceived this, and from that momenther cousin appeared to her as ridiculous as she was in reality. Allinsisted that Madame de Ligneville should wear her dress; Emmeline,consequently, wore hers also; and as Madame de Ligneville pretendedto be her elder sister, they passed the day together. This wasvery gratifying to Madame d'Altier, as Madame de Ligneville was anextremely sensible woman, and Emmeline found her so kind and socharming, that she became very much attached to her. Two or threetimes Madame de Ligneville remarked, as she looked at her dress,"There really is a great deal of work in it; that poor Sophie musthave laboured very hard." And Emmeline, because she was pleased withher, considered as very charming what a short time previously shewould have regarded as beneath her dignity; and she also felt thatit might be very gratifying to receive such proofs of affection.She enjoyed the f?te very much. However, the heat of the weather,and the fatigue she had undergone, brought on, after her return, aslight illness, which confined her for some time to her bed. Oneday during her indisposition, she heard Genevi?ve, who had paidgreat attention to her, say, "I must take care of her, poor littlething, though I am quite sure that when she gets well she will vexme very much." She felt humiliated at finding herself in need ofGenevi?ve's generosity. During her convalescence, she also frequentlyrequired her assistance, for she was very weak, and Genevi?ve had toaid her in almost every movement. She was therefore obliged to layaside some portion of her pride, and learn that the authority anddignity of one who can do nothing for herself is, after all, no verygreat affair. She felt that, if servants have need of masters fortheir support, masters, whom custom and wealth hav
e habituated to amultitude of luxuries, have also constant need of servants, for theircomfort and convenience. She likewise learned, in the end, that anindustrious and honest servant can always find a master willing topay him, whereas a master who is willing to pay, is not always sureof meeting with a servant who will serve him with zeal and affection,and consequently that it is particularly important to masters thattheir servants should be contented. She thus returned to her naturaldisposition, which was that of wishing to have every one satisfiedwith her, and she found that there was no other state of mind eitherso agreeable or so convenient as this.