Mademoiselle Mathilde (Volume 1) (Paperback)

Purchase of this book includes free trial access to www.million-books.com where you can read more than a million books for free. This is an OCR edition with typos. Excerpt from book: CHAPTER III. MORE NECESSARY GOSSIP. So Monsieur D'Isigny, in redingote, buckskin breeches, top-boots, and three-cornered hat, covering a close-cropped head (a chevelure, which, like everything else he did, gave extreme offence to both parties, both to the new party and the old), had ridden away on a splendid, large-boned brown horse, through the bad weather, on the day before our opening. He was in the very best temper possible. He had done his duty, and that was quite enough for him. He was bound on an antiquarian journey to Silchester. We will make his further acquaintance on his return. He beant much like a frog-eating Frenchman, said an old stone-breaker by the road-side to an old shepherd who was leaning over a gate as he passed. No, a beant, said the shepherd. He's a straight upstanding old chap, for a Frenchman, replied he. He'd give good account of Sir Lionel, or of any gentleman in these parts, for the matter of that. He never condescended for one moment to let his household know the possible or probable period of his return, although he always expected, under penalties, that his daughters should be at home to receive him. It was part of his discipline. He used to quote to them the text, Let thy master when he cometh find thee watching. So on the next day after his departure, Mathilde not only faced the furious weather, in going to see the dying old man by the river, but also the chance of some extra penance for herself. Still, as I impressed on you by reiteration in the first chapter, she went in defiance of both duty and inclination. There are some women who are so entirely love- able, beautiful, fragile, illogical, childish?to sum up all, irresistible?in favour of whom the very sternest man, if he has anything of the man in him, gives u...