下载辰思小说免费APP
OnreturningfrommassMadamedePortendueretoldTiennettetoinformhersonthatshewishedtoseehim。
Thelittlehousehadthreebedroomsonthefirstfloor。ThatofMadamedePortenduereandthatofherlatehusbandwereseparatedbyalargedressing-roomlightedbyaskylight，andconnectedbyalittleantechamberwhichopenedonthestaircase。Thewindowoftheotherroom，occupiedbySavinien，looked，likethatofhislatefather，onthestreet。Thestaircasewentupatthebackofthehouse，leavingroomforalittlestudylightedbyasmallroundwindowopeningonthecourt。MadamedePortenduere’sbedroom，thegloomiestinthehouse，alsolookedintothecourt；butthewidowspentallhertimeinthesalononthegroundfloor，whichcommunicatedbyapassagewiththekitchenbuiltattheendofthecourt，sothatthissalonwasmadetoanswerthedoublepurposeofdrawing-roomanddining-roomcombined。
ThebedroomofthelateMonsieurdePortenduereremainedashehadleftitonthedayofhisdeath；therewasnochangeexceptthathewasabsent。MadamedePortenduerehadmadethebedherself；layinguponittheuniformofanavalcaptain，hissword，cordon，orders，andhat。Thegoldsnuff-boxfromwhichherlatehusbandhadtakensnuffforthelasttimewasonthetable，withhisprayer-book，hiswatch，andthecupfromwhichhedrank。Hiswhitehair，arrangedinonecurledlockandframed，hungaboveacrucifixandtheholywaterinthealcove。Allthelittleornamentshehadworn，hisjournals，hisfurniture，hisDutchspittoon，hisspy-glasshangingbythemantel，wereallthere。Thewidowhadstoppedthehandsoftheclockatthehourofhisdeath，towhichtheyalwayspointed。Theroomstillsmeltofthepowderandthetobaccoofthedeceased。Thehearthwasasheleftit。Toher，enteringthere，hewasagainvisibleinthemanyarticleswhichtoldofhisdailyhabits。Histallcanewithitsgoldheadwaswherehehadlastplacedit，withhisbuckskinglovescloseby。Onatableagainstthewallstoodagoldvase，ofcoarseworkmanshipbutworththreethousandfrancs，agiftfromHavana，whichcity，atthetimeoftheAmericanWarofIndependence，hehadprotectedfromanattackbytheBritish，bringinghisconvoysafeintoportafteranengagementwithsuperiorforces。TorecompensethisservicetheKingofSpainhadmadehimaknightofhisorder；thesameeventgavehimarighttothenextpromotiontotherankofvice-
admiral，andhealsoreceivedtheredribbing。Hethenmarriedhiswife，whohadafortuneofabouttwohundredthousandfrancs。ButtheRevolutionhinderedhispromotion，andMonsieurdePortenduereemigrated。
“Whereismymother？“saidSavinientoTiennette。
“Sheiswaitingforyouinyourfather’sroom，“saidtheoldBretonwoman。
Saviniencouldnotrepressashudder。Heknewhismother’srigidprinciples，herworshipofhonor，herloyalty，herfaithinnobility，andheforesawascene。Hewentuptotheassaultwithhisheartbeatingandhisfaceratherpale。Inthedimlightwhich
