Moths by Ouida — page 198: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

194 a MOTHS. lin over the marbles of the terrace, and went also within-doors to attend to the thousand-and-one exigencies of a great spectacle which she had conceived, and was about to give the world. It was a Kermesse for the poor—always for the poor. Madame Jeanne, who was a woman of energy, and did not - \ mind trouble (she had been one of the leaders of a regime that -. dressed seven times a day), was the head and front, the life and soul, of her forthcoming Kermesse, and was resolute to leave no pains untaken that should make it the most successful fancy fair of its season. She had already quantities of royalties promised her as visitors. Poor Citron had pledged herself to preside at a puppet-show; ‘‘ tout la gomme” would be golden lambs to be shorn; and all the great ladies, and a few of the theatrical celeb- rities, were to be vendors, and wear the costumes and the jewelry of Flemish peasantry. ‘“T have written to beg Correze to come, but he will not,” she said, once, in the hearing of Vere. ‘‘ He used to be at Trouville every year, but he never comes now. I suppose some woman he cares about goes elsewhere.” She was very provoked, because she wanted to have a grand mass at Notre Dame des Victoires, and ‘‘ quetter” afterward; and if Correze would have sung some Noel or some Salutaris Hostia, it would have brought hundreds more napoleons into her plate for the poor; so, angrily, she abandoned -the idea of the mass, and confined herself to the glories of the Kermesse. Vere, to whom the mingling of the poor with a fancy fair, and the confusion of almsgiving with diversion, always seemed as painful as it was grotesque, took no heed of all the preparations, and received in silence her hushand’s commands to takea place in it. He was peremptory,and she was always obedient. She wrote to her people in Paris to send her down all that was necessary, and after that ceased to occupy herself with a folly she secretly dis- approved—a mockery of the misery of the world which made her heart ache. The day before the first opening of the Kermesse, which was to eclipse every other show of the sort, Prince Zouroff, with his wife and sister and most of their guests, drove over to Trouville to see . the arrangements. Madame Jeanne had erected her pretty booths in the glades of the Comte d'Hautpoul, and had had — that charming park conceded to her for her merry-go-rounds, her lotteries, her diseurs de bonnes aventures, her merry andrews, and her other diversions. Madame Jeanne’s taste was the taste of that Second Empire under which the comet of her course had reached its perihelion; but the effect of her taste in this little canvas city of pleasure was bright, brilliant, and picturesque, and the motley colors in which she delighted made a pretty spectacle under the green leaves of the trees. Every booth had the name of the lady who would officiate at it blazoned above; and above the lottery-booth was written ‘‘ Madame de Sonnaz,” with a scarlet flag that bore her arms and coronet fluttering against the blue sky. The next was the Marquise de Merilhac’s green and primrose; the next the Countess Schondorff’s amber 5 ‘ iu? y ; eye: \" 7 9 , le ’ . J Nha JF : : iy : . ,\s - fi 114 . , - Bd a : ‘ pa en fo) ay Aral. 4 a. ” ; 4 n¥ ; ) ‘ Lali ss 4 a7, y . ‘A ‘ , hs 7h. , Lay ws te £ +e A ORY eh ) CPAs eer awe ae bald . iA iv siLte (Ay, @ vf : by rs pag” 4 : vu Fh Fula y , / Aer iy ope a av delet Aide) rity q\ - ea i Aye tb bil aa i ed row) he 7 grt aie tt deus! ) ins 7 se De, 4a ’ fat Y Py va el of PP IP Peet Ww ‘Met 4) pee Fs a ae ral if iy. at ;