第87章 CHAPTER II(3)

In '61， the year of the coronation of our King Louis XI. whom God preserve！ Paquette was so gay and so pretty that she was called everywhere by no other name than "la Chantefleurie"--blossoming song. Poor girl！ She had handsome teeth， she was fond of laughing and displaying them. Now， a maid who loves to laugh is on the road to weeping； handsome teeth ruin handsome eyes. So she was la Chantefleurie. She and her mother earned a precarious living； they had been very destitute since the death of the minstrel； their embroidery did not bring them in more than six farthings a week， which does not amount to quite two eagle liards. Where were the days when Father Guybertant had earned twelve sous parisian， in a single coronation， with a song？ One winter (it was in that same year of '61)， when the two women had neither fagots nor firewood， it was very cold， which gave la Chantefleurie such a fine color that the men called her Paquette！* and many called her Pàquerette！** and she was ruined.--Eustache， just let me see you bite that cake if you dare！--We immediately perceived that she was ruined， one Sunday when she came to church with a gold cross about her neck.

At fourteen years of age！ do you see？ First it was the young Vicomte de Cormontreuil， who has his bell tower three leagues distant from Reims； then Messire Henri de Triancourt， equerry to the King； then less than that， Chiart de Beaulion， sergeant-at-arms； then， still descending， Guery Aubergeon， carver to the King； then， Mace de Frépus， barber to monsieur the dauphin； then， Thévenin le Moine， King's cook； then， the men growing continually younger and less noble， she fell to Guillaume Racine， minstrel of the hurdy gurdy and to Thierry de Mer， lamplighter. Then， poor Chantefleurie， she belonged to every one： she had reached the last sou of her gold piece. What shall I say to you， my damoiselles？ At the coronation， in the same year， '61， 'twas she who made the bed of the king of the debauchees！ In the same year！"* Ox-eye daisy.

** Easter daisy.

Mahiette sighed， and wiped away a tear which trickled from her eyes.

"This is no very extraordinary history，" said Gervaise， "and in the whole of it I see nothing of any Egyptian women or children.""Patience！" resumed Mahiette， "you will see one child.--In '66， 'twill be sixteen years ago this month， at Sainte-Paule's day， Paquette was brought to bed of a little girl.

The unhappy creature！ it was a great joy to her； she had long wished for a child. Her mother， good woman， who had never known what to do except to shut her eyes， her mother was dead. Paquette had no longer any one to love in the world or any one to love her. La Chantefleurie had been a poor creature during the five years since her fall. She was alone， alone in this life， fingers were pointed at her， she was hooted at in the streets， beaten by the sergeants， jeered at by the little boys in rags. And then， twenty had arrived： and twenty is an old age for amorous women. Folly began to bring her in no more than her trade of embroidery in former days； for every wrinkle that came， a crown fled； winter became hard to her once more， wood became rare again in her brazier， and bread in her cupboard. She could no longer work because， in becoming voluptuous， she had grown lazy； and she suffered much more because， in growing lazy， she had become voluptuous.

At least， that is the way in which monsieur the cure of Saint-Remy explains why these women are colder and hungrier than other poor women， when they are old.""Yes，" remarked Gervaise， "but the gypsies？"

"One moment， Gervaise！" said Oudarde， whose attention was less impatient. "What would be left for the end if all were in the beginning？ Continue， Mahiette， I entreat you.

That poor Chantefleurie！"

Mahiette went on.