Page:A hairdresser's experience in high life.djvu/21

Rh charmingly until news arrived that Mr.would not receive his anticipated appointment, it having been given to another. This was a damper to us all, inasmuch as the vexation of his disappointment did not fail to evince itself in the bearing of my gentleman, upon every occasion and to every person.

About this time the baptism of the Count of Paris took place, a ceremony I determined to witness, though my gentleman, on leaving home with my lady to be present at it, peremptorily ordered me not to absent myself from the premises during his absence; but through the kindness of an English lady, living in adjacent appartments, who had sprained her ancle, and could not go, I was provided with tickets which secured to myself and little responsibility a window commanding a fine view of the entire procession and paraphernalia of the occasion. Such a scene of splendor I never expected to see, and suppose I never shall witness anything so grand again. On reaching home I found my lady quite pleased that I and the child had enjoyed the scene, but her husband was boiling over with wrathful emotions at my disobedience. He never seemed to recognize that I had any right to amuse myself or to be happy upon any occasion; but for this I invariably cared precious little, though I never permitted myself to behave toward him as perhaps he deserved, in consequence of the high regard and esteem I bore my lady, who possessed a noble, unselfish disposition, and always treated me with the greatest kindness.

Subsequent to this event we removed to a house in Versailles, overlooking the gardens of the Prianon Palace, which was formerly occupied by a favorite 2