Books: Patty in Paris
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Carolyn Wells >> Patty in Paris
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When they reached the great hall, a footman ushered them into the grand
drawing-room where they were to await Ma'amselle.
She soon appeared, resplendent in her old-time grandeur, and going to
greet her, the girls kissed her hand, an old custom which greatly
pleased their hostess.
"But it is of a joy to see you!" she exclaimed. "Me, I am so much alone.
It is not good to be alone, and yet, it is my choice. I stay in the home
of my ancestors, therefore I stay alone. Voila!" she shrugged her
shoulders, as if to emphasise the fact that it was more joy to live
alone in the old chateau than to be anywhere else.
"But I am not always alone," she went on; "no, it is that my Henri, my
nephew, comes to me at occasion. And he comes soon. Jour de l'an always
brings him. He spends the day with me. He makes me a pleasure. And you
shall see him, you young ladies. Ah, how he is beautiful!" The old lady
clasped her hands and turned her gaze upward, and the girls were fain to
believe that her nephew was indeed a wonderful specimen of humanity.
Then the dinner was announced, and leaning on the arm of an old footman,
who was quite as dignified as she was herself, Ma'amselle led the way to
the dining-room.
The table appointments, Patty thought, would have done justice to any of
the most celebrated characters in French history, had they been there to
enjoy them.
Although not exactly embarrassed, the girls were a little bit awed at
splendour so unusual to them. To Rosamond it seemed distinctly humorous
that three such young American girls should be honoured guests in such a
regal household; to Elise it seemed extremely interesting, and the
novelty and strangeness of it all impressed her more than the grandeur.
But Patty, with her usual quick ability to accept a situation, seemed to
take everything for granted, and made herself quite at home. The
wonderfully garbed footmen who stood behind their chairs like statues,
except when they were wound up, nearly made Rosamond giggle; but to
Patty, they were merely part of the performance, and once accepted as
such, of course, they belonged in the picture.
This readiness to adapt herself to any circumstances was inherent in
Patty's nature, and she sat there and conversed with her hostess as
charmingly and naturally as if at a plainer board.
Rosamond was much impressed by what she chose to consider Patty's
"nerve," and determining not to be outdone, she exerted herself to be
bright and entertaining, and as Elise was always more or less of a
chatterbox, the three girls provided much entertainment, and their
hostess was delighted with her congenial guests.
After the rather lengthy dinner was at an end, the old Ma'amselle took
the girls through various apartments, and showed them many of the
treasures of the Chateau.
Then they went to the music room and Patty was persuaded to sing.
She sang several songs, and then they all sang choruses together, in
some of which the old Ma'amselle joined with her thin but still sweet
voice.
"And now," she said at last, "it is to tear the heart--but I must send
you babies to bed. Me, I sleep so badly, but you young girls, of a
surety, must have the tranquil rest. It is then 'Bon Soir,' and in the
morning you are to amuse yourselves. You have but to ring for your
chocolate, when you awake, and then pursue your own pleasures until
noon, when I will meet you at dejeuner."
After affectionate good-nights, the girls went to their rooms, and a
half hour later, wrapped in kimonos and with their long braids hanging
down their backs, they were all perched on Patty's big bed--alone at
last.
"But it is of a gorgeousness," exclaimed Rosamond, mimicking, but not
unkindly, the old Ma'amselle's imperfect English; "me, I never have so
many feetmen at home! Is it that you do, Patty?"
"But I like it all," exclaimed Patty, giggling at comical Rosamond, but
standing up for her own opinions; "of course I'm not envious a mite, and
I don't know even as I'd care to live in this way all the time, but it's
lovely for a few days, and I'm just going to pretend I'm La Grande
Mademoiselle."
"Do," cried Elise, "and I'll be Empress Josephine. Who'll you be,
Rosamond?"
"Oh, I'll be Queen Elizabeth, who has come to visit you. There's nothing
French about me, so there's no use pretending, but I might be an English
Queen."
"Well, Josephine and Elizabeth, you'd better run to bed now," said
Patty, "for I'd like the exclusive occupancy of this upholstered tennis-
court myself."
Amazed to find that it was after midnight, the other girls ran laughing
away, and Patty climbed in behind the chintz curtains, almost persuading
herself that she was a royal Princess after all.
Next morning the Queen and the Empress came bounding in, and shook La
Grande Mademoiselle till she awoke.
"This bed is the biggest," announced Queen Elizabeth, "and so we're all
going to have our chocolate in here."
"Well, I like the way you monopolise my apartments!" exclaimed Patty.
"I'm glad you like it," said Rosamond; "but we'd come just the same if
you didn't. Now stop your giggling, while I ring the bell, and see what
happens."
A dainty French waitress answered the summons, and smilingly asked for
orders.
Patty modestly asked for chocolate and rolls for them all, but the
French maid volunteered the information that Ma'amselle was of the
opinion that the young ladies would like an omelette, and perhaps a jar
of marmalade.
[Illustration with caption: "They were all perched on Patty's big bed--
alone at last"]
"Heavenly!" exclaimed Rosamond, rolling her eyes in ecstacy, and the
waitress departed on her errand.
"This is the jolliest picnic yet," declared Elise, a little later as she
sat, propped up by pillows, in a corner of the big chintz tent, and
devoured flaky hot rolls and apricot marmalade.
The girls were each in a corner of the great bed, which left ample room
in the centre for the tray full of good things, and though perhaps an
unusual place for a picnic, it was a most hilarious festivity.
CHAPTER XVI
AN EXPECTED GUEST
The three girls spent a delightful morning exploring the old Chateau,
and its park and garden. The clear air was brisk and keen, and a few
hours out of doors sent them back into the house with rosy cheeks and
bright eyes.
They discovered a delightful room that they had not seen before, which
was built out from one of the wings, and whose walls and ceiling were
entirely of glass.
"This is something like your room at home, Elise," said Patty, as they
seated themselves there.
"Not very much; my room is glass, to be sure, but it's square, and this
circular apartment is quite a different matter. And did you ever see
such exquisite furniture? I can quite believe myself an Empress when I
sit gracefully on this gilded blue satin sofa."
"I'm glad you think you're sitting gracefully," said Rosamond, laughing
at Elise, who, in her favourite position, had one foot tucked up under
her.
"I don't care," said Elise. "Probably Josephine would have liked to sit
on her foot, only she didn't dare."
"Her empire would have tottered if she had done such a thing as that,"
observed Patty, "but as it tottered anyway, she might as well have sat
as she pleased."
Ma'amselle joined the young people at luncheon time, and although she
called it breakfast, the repast was quite as elaborate and formal in its
way as dinner had been. But the girls brought to it three healthy young
appetites, that did full justice to the exquisite viands set before
them.
At the table, Ma'amselle announced to the girls her plans for their
entertainment.
It seemed that she expected her nephew that evening, to spend a few
days, and as the next day would be the great festival of New Year's Day,
she had planned a celebration of the event.
So she proposed that except for a short automobile drive that afternoon
the girls should rest and keep themselves fresh for dinner-time, when
she expected the arrival of her paragon of a nephew.
From her description of the young man, the girls were led to think that
he must be a sort of fairy prince in disguise,--and not very much
disguised, either.
So in the afternoon the three girls and Ma'amselle went for a drive in
one of the great touring cars, of which Ma'amselle had several.
Patty begged to be allowed to sit in front with the chauffeur, and
rather astonished that impassive factotum by asking to be allowed to
drive.
He was very much disinclined to grant her request, lest it should
displease the old Ma'amselle, of whom all her servants stood greatly in
awe; but when Patty appealed to her hostess, and received a not very
willing permission, the chauffeur allowed her to change seats with him,
and really drive the car.
He was greatly surprised at Patty's skill, and became more than ever
convinced that Americans were a strange race.
Their route lay past the railway station and along the beautiful terrace
which skirts the forest of St. Germain on one side, and commands such a
marvellous view of the valley and the Seine.
Returning home, the girls were left to their own devices until dinner-
time, when they were adjured to array themselves appropriately to do
homage with the wonderful Henri.
"Henri must be something out of the ordinary," declared Elise, when the
girls were alone.
"Probably not," said Patty; "only Ma'amselle thinks him so."
"At any rate I'm anxious to see him," declared Elise, "for I don't know
any real live French boy except that Pauvret who was on the steamer, and
he was too lackadaisical for any use."
"Well, I don't apprehend M'sieu Henri will be much better," said Patty;
"I don't care much about Frenchmen, anyway. What are you going to wear,
girls?"
"I shall wear my red chifon," said Rosamond; "it's most becoming to me;
I'm a perfect dream in it, and I shall quite cut out you other girls
with our foreign prince."
"Pooh!" said Elise; "he won't look at you when he sees me in my white
tulle. I'm the Frenchiest thing in that you ever saw!"
"Oh girls," cried Patty, "I'm going to wear my light blue crepe de
chine. And then we'll be red, white and blue! Won't that be a graceful
compliment to the French colours, as well as to our own dear flag!"
"Long may it wave!" cried Rosamond, and then following Patty's lead, the
girls sang the "Star Spangled Banner" with true American heartiness and
patriotism. This they followed up with the "Marseillaise," in which they
were interrupted by the appearance of one of the maids in a great state
of excitement.
In breathless haste, which made her French difficult for them to
understand, she explained that Ma'amselle had had a telegram of dreadful
import, and would the young ladies attend upon her at once.
The maid ushered the wondering girls to Ma'amselle's apartments and
found her in her dressing-room, in the hands of her maid, who was
assisting her in a hasty toilette.
The tears were rolling down the old lady's cheeks, and she seemed to be
in a state of trembling agitation.
"Ah, mes enfants" she cried, "but it is news of the most dreadful! Mon
Henri, my well-beloved nephew,--his arm,--it is broken! Ah the sadness
for the poor boy. Me, I fly to him at once,--but at once! You, but you
will excuse me, you will forgive, because of the dear boy! I go to
Paris, but I return, bringing my boy with me."
It was rather a mixed-up explanation, but the girls finally gathered
that Henri had had the misfortune to break his arm, and had sent for his
aunt to come to Paris and spend the New Year Day with him instead of
taking his intended trip to St. Germain.
Henri had not known that his aunt had the young ladies visiting her, and
so had no idea that he was disarranging her plans to such an extent.
"He can come!" she exclaimed; "bah, it is not his legs; it is but his
arm. Of a certainty, one does not walk on one's arm! But the dear boy! I
shall go to him and explain all. Then we will return, and there shall be
feasting and happiness. A broken arm is not so much,--it will mend,--but
to him I must fly!"
Patty endeavoured to find out definitely the old lady's plan, but she
could only gather that there was no time to be lost, that Ma'amselle
must catch the seven o'clock train.
To be sure of this, she must leave the house at half-past six.
And so she started, in her swift touring car, accompanied by her maid
and a groom, in addition to her capable and trusty chauffeur.
Away they went, and the girls returned to the drawing-room to consider
the situation.
"It was all over so quickly," said Patty, "that I hardly know whether
I'm on my head or my heels. What a whirlwind Ma'amselle is!"
"Yes, she flew around like a hen with its head off, or whatever French
hens do," said Rosamond; "if she whisks that broken-armed boy home as
fast as she whisked herself off they'll be here in a minute."
"She can't," said the practical Elise. "If she takes that seven o'clock
train, she won't get to Paris until nearly eight, and then, I don't know
where the interesting invalid lives, but anyway, to kidnap him and get
back here again is a matter of several hours. I don't expect to see them
before midnight."
"What shall we do?" said Patty; "shall we have our dinner?"
"I don't believe we'll have any say in the matter," volunteered Elise.
"I think that waxwork butler, and the 'feetmen,' as Rosamond calls them,
will arrange our lives for us, and we'll be simply under orders."
"What an exciting experience," exclaimed Patty; "to think of us three
American girls, alone except for the servants, in a gorgeous old French
Chateau! I feel as if I must do something to live up to my privileges."
"Suppose anything should happen that Ma'amselle never came back,"
suggested Rosamond; "we could take possession of the place and live here
forever."
"I don't think much of that plan," declared Patty; "New York is good
enough for me, as a permanent residence. But I do want to do somethink
in keeping with the atmosphere of this place. If there's a dungeon keep
on the premises, I think I'll throw you two girls into it, after having
first bound you in chains."
"You mean a donjon keep, Patty," said Elise; "you're so careless with
your mediaeval diction."
A noise in the hall, as of an arrival, startled the girls, and rising
impulsively, they flew out to see what it was all about.
To their astonishment, they found the footmen holding open the great
front doors, while three stalwart young men entered.
The middle one, who was partly supported by the other two, had his arm
in a sling, and as he was undoubtedly a Frenchman, the girls were sure
at once that he was no other than the worshipful Henri.
At sight of the three astonished girls the three young men looked
equally amazed, and whipping off their caps, they made profound bows to
the strangers.
It was a comical situation, for doubtless Henri had expected to see his
aunt, and was instead confronted by three unmistakably American misses.
Of the six, quick-witted Patty grasped the situation first.
"You are Monsieur Henri Labesse, is it not so?" she said, advancing
toward the broken-armed one.
In her haste and bewilderment, Patty spoke in English, forgetting that
the young man might not understand her native tongue.
But he answered in English quite as good as her own, though with a
decided French accent, "Yes, Mademoiselle, I am Henri Labesse. I make
you my homage, These are my two friends, Cecil Villere and Philippe
Baring."
"We are glad to welcome you," said Patty, in her pretty, frank way;
"these are my friends, Mademoiselle Farrington and Mademoiselle Barstow.
We are guests of your aunt."
"Ah, my aunt!" said Henri, as the other boys acknowledged the
introductions, "where is she? Did she not get my telegram?"
"She did, indeed," returned Patty, smiling, "and she went flying off to
Paris."
"But my second telegram; I wired again, saying I would come here."
"No, she did not get your second telegram,--only the first one
announcing your accident."
"And she has gone! oh how dreadful! but can we not stop her? Let us send
post haste after her."
"It's no use," said Elise; "she has been gone about ten minutes, and in
her fast car she is now more than half way to the station."
"Did you boys come in an automobile?" asked Patty.
"No," replied Mr. Villere; "we came in a rickety old cab from the
station, and it has gone back."
Patty's thoughts were flying rapidly. It seemed dreadful to let the old
Ma'amselle go to Paris on a wild-goose chase, when if she could but be
stopped, and brought back home, it would save the long and troublesome
journey and be a delight to them all.
She not only thought quickly, but she determined to act quickly.
"Can either of you boys drive an automobile?" she demanded of the two
uninjured guests.
With voluble lamentations the two confessed their inability in that
direction.
"Elise," cried Patty, turning upon her a look, which Elise well knew
demanded implicit obedience, "you stay right here and play you're the
hostess of this Chateau, and see that you do it properly. Rosamond, you
come with me!"
Without a further glance at the astonished young men, without a word to
the pompous butler who was hovering in the background, Patty grasped
Rosamond by the arm and pulled her away with her.
CHAPTER XVII
A MOTOR RIDE
Bareheaded, and still dragging the astonished Rosamond, Patty rushed
outdoors, into the gathering dusk, and down toward the stables.
Confronting an astonished groom, she asked him in forcible, if not
entirely correct French, whether there was an assistant chauffeur, or
any groom who could run a motor car.
She was informed that there was not, that Ma'amselle's chauffeur himself
and the groom who had accompanied him were the only ones in the
establishment who knew anything about automobiles. If Mademoiselle
desired a coach, now?
But Mademoiselle did not desire a coach, and, moreover, Mademoiselle
seemed to know perfectly well what she did desire.
Beckoning to the groom, who followed her, she went straight to the
garage where the automobiles were kept. There was a touring car there,
almost the same as the one she had driven that afternoon, and Patty
looked at it uncertainly.
There was also a small runabout, but that was of a different make, of
which she knew nothing.
"Get in," she said briefly to the groom, and she pointed to the tonneau.
Accustomed to implicit obedience, the groom got in, hatless as he was,
and folding his arms stiffly, sat up as straight as if it were a most
usual experience.
"Hop up in front, Rosamond," went on Patty, "and don't try to stop me,
for I'm going to do exactly this; I'm going to the station and catch
Ma'amselle before she gets on that seven o'clock train. There isn't one-
half second to spare; we can't even get our hats, and if we should stop
to talk it over with anybody, there'd be no use in going at all. Now
hush up, Rosamond, don't say a word to me, I've all I can do to manage
this thing!"
As Rosamond hadn't said a word, Patty need not have insisted on her
silence. But Patty was so excited that it made her quick of speech and a
little uncertain of temper.
She started slowly out of the garage, trying to remember exactly the
instructions she had so often received about starting. They went safely
out into the park road, and along toward the porter's lodge. Patty's
heart beat fast as she wondered uncertainly whether the porter would
open the gate for her or not, but she carried off matters with a high
hand, and ordered in the name of Ma'amselle Labesse that the gate be
opened, and it was. Through it they went, and out on to the high road.
Patty put on a higher speed, and they flew along like mad.
"Now you can speak if you want to, Rosamond," she said in a strained,
tense voice; "or no, perhaps you'd better not, either. There's something
the matter! The engine thumps; but it's all right, I know what to do. If
only the road keeps smooth,--if we come to no ditches,--if we don't
burst a tire! speak to me, Rosamond, do for goodness' sake say
something!"
"It's all right, Patty," said Rosamond, in a quiet voice, for she knew
that the greatest danger that threatened Patty was her own over-
excitement. "You're all right, Patty; keep on just as you are; be
careful of this down grade, and you can easily take the next hill."
"Good for you, Rosamond," said Patty, with a really natural laugh;
"you're a brick! My nerves ARE strained, but I won't think of that, I'll
think only of my car. Oh Rosamond, if only the road isn't bad in any
place!"
"It isn't, Patty, the road is perfect. Steady, now, dear, there's a
motor coming, but you can easily pass it. Don't you reverse or
something?"
"Keep still, Rosamond, do keep still! I know what to do!"
Rosamond kept still.
On they flew, the wind in their faces cutting like a cold blast; their
hair became loosened as it streamed back from their foreheads.
It was the excitement of danger, and 'way down in their hearts both
girls were enjoying it, though they did not realise it at the moment.
What the statuesque groom who sat up behind felt, nobody will ever know.
He kept his head up straight, and his arms folded, and his face showed a
brave do-or-die expression, though there was nobody to notice it.
"Oh, Rosamond," Patty went on, still in that breathless, gasping voice,
"if I only knew what time it was. There's no use whizzing at this break-
neck speed if we're not going to make the train after all! If I thought
it would be of any use I'd coast down this hill, but why should we kill
ourselves if we don't accomplish our object?"
"Patty, don't be a goose!" and again Rosamond's cool, common-sense tones
acted as a dash of cold water on Patty's overstrung nerves. "I'll tell
you what time it is. You keep right on with your knitting, and I can get
out my watch as easily as anything, and the next time we pass a light
I'll inform you the hour."
Reassured by Rosamond's sense and nonsense, Patty drove steadily on.
"It's five minutes to seven," announced Rosamond quietly, "but we can
already see the railroad lights in the distance, and besides, the train
is sure to be late. But, Patty, you can't go quite so fast as we get
into the town. You musn't! You'll be arrested!"
"They can't catch me," cried Patty, as she flew on, "and do keep still,
Rosamond, for goodness' sake keep still!"
Rosamond smiled to herself at Patty's command to her to keep still, for
she well knew it was merely a nervous exclamation and meant nothing.
On they went, Patty sounding the horn when it was unnecessary, and
failing to sound it when it was needed, but this made no difference in
their speed. Fortunately they met very few vehicles of any sort, and had
the good luck not to run over any dogs, but as they came in full view of
the station, they saw the train also approaching from the other
direction.
Patty knew that she had just about time to cross the track, but no more.
Instead of worrying her, this sudden last responsibility seemed to
steady her nerves, and she said quietly:
"It's all right, Rosamond. Don't speak, please, we've just time to cross
the track safely,--SAFELY. See, I'll open up the throttle,--just a
little more power,--and here we go, bounding over the track!"
They seemed to jump over the track, and with a round turn, Patty made
the corner, put on the brake and came to a full stop at the station just
as the funny little French train wheezed in.
But the girl could do no more; as the car came to a standstill Patty's
hands dropped from the wheel, and she promptly fainted away.
With no notion of losing the game at the last moment, Rosamond sprang
from the car, calling to the groom to look out for Patty, and then ran,
panting, to the train.
She grasped the old Ma'amselle as she was about to step on the train,
and forcibly pulled her away.
Owing to the old lady's angry and excited exclamation at being thus
detained, she could not understand what Rosamond was trying to tell her.
"Make her comprehend!" she cried to the maid, who was accompanying her
mistress, "make her understand, quick! she must not go to Paris!
Monsieur Henri is at the Chateau!"
But the French maid could understand no English, and in despair Rosamond
turned to the group of people who had gathered about them.
Her dignity suddenly returned, and her common sense with it.
"Will somebody who can talk French," she said, "explain to this lady
that she need not go to the house of her nephew with the broken arm,
because he is already at the Chateau of his aunt."
The moment she had uttered this sentence, its resemblance to the
Ollendorff exercises struck Rosamond as very funny, and she began to
giggle.
But the old Ma'amselle at last understood the state of the case, and,
her face beaming with smiles, she turned away from the train and back to
the station.
Patty had come to herself after her momentary unconsciousness, and was
all right once more, though physically tired from her exciting
exertions.
Ma'amselle's own chauffeur was overcome with amazement when he learned
what Patty had done, and took off his cap to her, with the air of one
offering homage to a brave heroine.
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