Page:010 Once a week Volume X Dec 1863 to Jun 64.pdf/245

 Feb.

ONCE A WEEK.

20, 1864.]

some duty of

When

his responsible office.

ho

unmoned he would put on a

grave, i rial air, directly drew the cuff of his coat across his Bacchanal lips, set tho peak of his cap in a becoming position, and, summoning to his aid every scrap of dignity at his command, made across the road to see who was

at the gates of his kingdom. in his way, the concierge was a bon vivant ; but never did he permit his love of the good

of this world to interfere with the scrupulous performance of his official duties. He was as severe as a colonel called to the His friends might joke front of his regiment. him when he was off duty but he was true as

things

would answer, "Is that any business Madame n And as he replied he would back towards her, and so force her into

his wife,

of yours,

the

and

whew he

stood at the door of the lodge was examining anybody who wished to

If anybody who knew my up stairs. rooms, and had visited them twenty times, ventured to pass his lodge and to pull my bell without having undergone a preliminary inspection, the concierge would follow him up the stairs and summon him to explain himself. Very amiable visitors laughed only but the quick-tempered were not complimentary in

An

their auswers.

one evening, "

Italian visitor said to

Do you know,

that

if

I

me

had not

entertained the very highest respect for you, I should have boxed the ears of your concierge 1 "

am

he had completely indulged his inclination, I should not have been mortally offended. I heard afterwards that my cook and the concierge had put the Italian gentle1

man

sure that

if

They had agreed proper place. that he was not worth much. Said the cook, "I opened the door to him, and he asked whether Monsieur was at home without saying in

his

his

continuing

lodge, while.

conversation

the

This scene was punctually enacted when was stopped on my way out to listen to a

I

complaint.

The

removed

concierge

—

" Monsieur

brown

his

smiled submissively, the rascal sweetest voice, said

cap,

and, in his

!

pardon me, but I have a observation to make to him." " Speak," said I, impatiently. " It was past twelve o'clock when Monwill

little



steel

237

sieur's

guest left

last

night.

"

I

am

a

light

sleeper

" Well

"

I

!

interrupted

added ill-temper to

sharply,

having

my

impati I only wished to make a little observation to Monsieur. If his guests would go a little

"

earlier

—

that's

when

ears

I

The

all.

am

in bed.

bell rings close to

my

The nights are be-

ginning to be cold." " that " Do I understand," I answered icily, wish in salon me to and get up you my say, '

is

and gentlemen,

it is past eleven o'clock, concierge begs that you will go, for he ' " a light sleeper ? " Madame " Hold

ladies

and

my

your tongue exclaimed, But her escaping once more from the lodge. husband, without noticing, backed once more !

towards her, and drove her out of sight. " " will excuse Monsieur," he said, my

little

observation."

to me." was walking past the porter's lodge one

The concierge took his revenge. I received The second- floor had been disturbed by our piano, the boys had stamped up the stairs, the maid had laughed in the face

afternoon, in great haste, when the concierge He was in flashed out and called after me.

Madame Buisson, the of the concierge's wife oyster woman or ecaillere (of the powerful



Good day' I

an excited

state,

and when excited he was

in

the habit of twitching his features into the most painful contortions whereupon the fol;

lowing dialogue invariably passed between him and his wife a portly lady, who might have carried him about in her reticule " Don't make grimaces," the lady observed, with authority.

—



Her lord

—

looked at her with scorn, tempered

by the number of coups he had taken in the course of the morning. He would resume his conversation, completely turning his back his

Avife.

She would fold

upon her arms, and

gradually shift her position to one where she could catch the expressions of her husband's face. Again, in a more authoritative tone

—

" Don't make grimaces, I

tell

you,

Mon-

sieur." isieur,

without looking for an instant at

daily complaints.



thumbs) recruited on the side of the concierge. It went up and down the street that our laundress had called four times in one day for her bill. I must do the belle icaUlere the justice of at once allowing that she showed herself a mistress of scandal, in her conduct of this damaging fact. There could not be the least doubt about it, four times had the laundress Had' called for her bill in one day. twenty francs among us 1 of what were we made this poor woman wanted her money !

1

We

should take a

ch<

cierge called the

never had a high opinion of us. established to our detriment.

The con'hat he had So much was


 * ing.

Clemence, the

and vowed vengeance against the bad tongues that had maligned us, but the case as it stood damaged us only. This mild mischief did not satisfy the ecaillere, cook,

affected despair,