Orleans independent standard. [volume] (Irasburgh, Vt.) 1856-1871, 1865-12-27
CHAPTER. IL
THE OGRESSE.

THE 0GRESsE.
= The tavern of the Lapin Blanc is
situated about half way down the street
aux Feyes; it occupies the lower story
of a lofty house with two large win.
dows, called a guilIotine. Above the
door of dark yaulted alley was sus-
, pended an oblong, cracked lantern, on
which was painted in red letters, Here
lodgings can be had for the night
Clsourinour, Goualeuse, and the un-
known, entered the tavern.
1t was a long, low room, into which
they entered, with smoky ceiling and
black rafters, badly lighted by the
murkey rays of a miserable lamp. The
whitewashed walls were covered with
vulgar sketches, or with sentences in
Argot (slang); the floor of beaten
earth an d salt was thickly covered
with mud an armful of straw was
placed at the foot Of the counter or bar
Of the Ogresse instead Of a carpet, and
this was situated near the door, and
, under the lamp on each side of this
room there was placed six tables, one
end Of each, as well as the benches,
was nailed to the wall; at the further
end of the room a door opened into
the kitchen; on the right, near the bar,
another gave an exit into the alley
which led to miserable apartments
where one can lodge for three sous the
highland now a few words about the
Ogresse and her guests
She was called the mother PoRisse,
aud her threefold employment was, to
keep the tavern, take in dodgers by the
night, and to rent out clothes to the
miserable beings who swarm in these
foul streets.
The Ogresse was about forty years
of age, tall, robust, and corpulent, with
red face and something Of a beard
her rough and masculine voice, her
immense arms and large hands, all in
dicated no common strength; her hat
was trimmed with "a faded red and
yellow riband tippet ofrabbit skin
was crossed ON her bosom and tied
behind her back; her dress of green
woollen SO short, that her black sdbots
wooden shoes) were seen, half burn /.
ed by her foot-stoye; and, finally, her
copper-coloured complexion, much IN
famed by the abuse of strong drink.
The counter, lined with lead was
furnished with jugs with iron hoops
and difierent-sized measures of tin; on
a small shelf could be seen many glass
hacons, moulded in the form Of the
emperor: these bottles were filled
with adulterated liquors of a rose and
green colour, known by the name of
pauait amour and consolation: finally,
"a large black eat with yellow eyes,
crouched near the Ogresse, seemed the
familiar spirit Of this place.
BY a contrast that almost seems i'm
possible if he did not know that the
human breast is an nnpenetrable abyss
IA holy Easter branch, bought at the
church by the Ogrcsse, was placed be-
hind the box Of an ancient cuckoo clock.
Two men, with sinister looks, bristling
boards and clothed almost in rags, had
hardly touched the jug of wine that had
been served to them, but were whisp-
ering, evidently, in an unquiet and un-
easy manner.
One of them especially, who was
very pale, almost livid, kept continually
drawing his wretched Greek cap over
his eyes. He held his left hand con
cealed, never using it except when com
PEELED by necessity. AT a short dis
tance was seated a young man ofhard-
" sixteen years, with drunken, pale.
and livid look; his long, black hair
hoated on his shoulders, smoking a
short white pipe; this youth was
fine specimen Of juvenile precocity.
He was leaning against the wall, with .
his hands in the pockets of his blouse,
and he never took the pipe from his !
mouth except to drink of the brandy
which stood before him. The other !
inmates Of the tapis-franc, male or fe-
male, deserve no particular notice
their physiognOmies were ferOcious or
dull, their gayety gross OF licentious,
their silence sombre or stupid: such
were the guests of the tapis-tranc,
where the unknown, the Chourinew, .
and La Goualeuse entered. These
three last personages play so important
a part in our story, that we should
not fail to place them in bold relief
The ChOmineT was a man Of tall
stature, athletic make, with fiax-colour
ed hair, almost white, heavy dark eye {
brows, and enormous whislSers of burn {
ing red. Poverty, the rude labOur at
the galleys in the scorching sun, had
bronzed his skin to that dark olive,
which may be said to be peculiar to
galley-slaves; Notwithstanding his ter :
rible name, the features of this man (
intimated a more brutal audacity than 9
teroclty although the back part OF MS /.
head. most singularly developed, an
nounced the preponderance of carnal
and murderous appetites. The Chou7 5
rineur was dressed in miserable
blouse. trousers of velveteen, which I
formerly had been green, but no colour
could now be distinguished, from the
heavy coating ofmud.
By strange anomaly, the face OF
La Goualeuse presented one of those
angelic and lovely expressions which
their ideality even in the
midst of depravity, as if the Great
ure were unable to efface by its vices .
the noble stamp which God has placed I
on the forehead of some privileged i
beings.
The Goualeuse had passed her six {