It was Victor who opened the gate for her. A black woman, wiping her

hands upon her apron, was close at his heels. Before she saw them Edna

could hear them in altercation, the woman--plainly an anomaly--claiming

the right to be allowed to perform her duties, one of which was to

answer the bell.

Victor was surprised and delighted to see Mrs. Pontellier, and he made

no attempt to conceal either his astonishment or his delight. He was a

dark-browed, good-looking youngster of nineteen, greatly resembling

his mother, but with ten times her impetuosity. He instructed the

black woman to go at once and inform Madame Lebrun that Mrs. Pontellier

desired to see her. The woman grumbled a refusal to do part of her duty

when she had not been permitted to do it all, and started back to her

interrupted task of weeding the garden. Whereupon Victor administered

a rebuke in the form of a volley of abuse, which, owing to its rapidity

and incoherence, was all but incomprehensible to Edna. Whatever it

was, the rebuke was convincing, for the woman dropped her hoe and went

mumbling into the house.

Edna did not wish to enter. It was very pleasant there on the side

porch, where there were chairs, a wicker lounge, and a small table. She

seated herself, for she was tired from her long tramp; and she began to

rock gently and smooth out the folds of her silk parasol. Victor drew

up his chair beside her. He at once explained that the black woman's

offensive conduct was all due to imperfect training, as he was not there

to take her in hand. He had only come up from the island the morning

before, and expected to return next day. He stayed all winter at the

island; he lived there, and kept the place in order and got things ready

for the summer visitors.

But a man needed occasional relaxation, he informed Mrs. Pontellier, and

every now and again he drummed up a pretext to bring him to the city.

My! but he had had a time of it the evening before! He wouldn't want his

mother to know, and he began to talk in a whisper. He was scintillant

with recollections. Of course, he couldn't think of telling Mrs.

Pontellier all about it, she being a woman and not comprehending such

things. But it all began with a girl peeping and smiling at him through

the shutters as he passed by. Oh! but she was a beauty! Certainly he

smiled back, and went up and talked to her. Mrs. Pontellier did not know

him if she supposed he was one to let an opportunity like that escape

him. Despite herself, the youngster amused her. She must have betrayed

in her look some degree of interest or entertainment. The boy grew more

daring, and Mrs. Pontellier might have found herself, in a little while,

listening to a highly colored story but for the timely appearance of

Madame Lebrun.




readonlinefreebook.com Copyright 2016 - 2024