AN EVENING WITH VANDA
Eight o'clock was striking from the convent of the Visitation, the clock of the quarter, when the inquisitive Godefroid tapped gently at his neighbor's door.Auguste opened it.As it happened to be a Saturday, the young lad had his evening to himself.Godefroid beheld him in a little sack-coat of black velvet, a blue silk cravat, and black trousers.But his surprise at the youth's appearance, so different from that of this outside life, ceased as soon as he had entered the invalid's chamber.He then understood the reason why both father and son were well dressed.
For a moment the contrast between the squalor of the other rooms, as he had seen them that morning, and the luxury of this chamber, was so great that Godefroid was dazzled, though habituated for years to the luxury and elegance procured by wealth.
The walls of the room were hung with yellow silk, relieved by twisted fringes of a bright green, giving a gay and cheerful aspect to the chamber, the cold tiled floor of which was hidden by a moquette carpet with a white ground strewn with flowers.The windows, draped by handsome curtains lined with white silk, were like conservatories, so full were they of plants in flower.The blinds were lowered, which prevented this luxury, so rare in that quarter of the town, from being seen from the street.The woodwork was painted in white enamel, touched up, here and there, by a few gold lines.
At the door was a heavy portiere, embroidered by hand with fantastic foliage on a yellow ground, so thick that all sounds from without were stifled.This magnificent curtain was made by the sick woman herself, who could work, when she had the use of her hands, like a fairy.
At the farther end of the room, and opposite to the door, was the fireplace, with a green velvet mantel-shelf, on which a few extremely elegant ornaments, the last relics of the opulence of two families, were arranged.These consisted of a curious clock, in the shape of an elephant supporting on its back a porcelain tower which was filled with the choicest flowers; two candelabra in the same style, and several precious Chinese treasures.The fender, andirons, tongs, and shovel were all of the handsomest description.