The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1898-02-18
THE HOUSE 0F EULAUE.
From the London Telegraph.

charming country-in an untraNeheu
corner OF Normandy, near the sea;
country of orchards and colza fields, OF
soft green meadows where cattle
browsed, and of deep lm-shaded lanes
One was rather surprised to see this
little house Just here, for all the other
houses in the neighborhood were rude
farm-houses or laborers' cottages; ana
this was coquettish little chalet
white walled with slim French win
dows, and balconies of twisted IRON
work, and Yentian blinds: a gay little
pleasure house, standing in a bright
little garden, among rose bushes and
parterres of geraniums, and smooth
stretches of greensward Beyond the
garden. there was an orchard-rows
and couples Of old gnarled apple-trees,
bending towards one another, like fam
tastic figures arrested in the middle of
a dance. Then, turning round, you
ooked over feathery colza fields and
yellow corn fields, a mile away, to the
sea, and to winding perspective OF
white cliffs, which the sea bathed In
transparent greens and puppies, lum-
inous shadows of it's own nameless
hues. .
a board attached to the wall con-
firmed, in roughly painted characters,
the informa / had had from an
agent in Dieppt. The house was to let;
and / had driven out-a drive of two
long hours-to inspect 1t. Now l stood
on the doorstep, and rang the bell 1t
was a big bell, hung in the porch, with
a pendent handle of bronze, wrought in
the semblance of a rope and tassel
1t carried, at any rate, as far as a low
thatched farmhouse, a hundred yards
down the road. Presently a man and a
woman came out of the farm m-house,
gazed for an instant in my direction,
and then moved towards me; an old
brown man. an old grey woman, the
man in corduroys, the woman wearing
a neat white cotton cap and a blue
apron, both moving with the burdened
gait of peasants.
"You are Monsieur and Madame Le-
roux?' / asked, when we had accom-
plished our preliminary gooddays; and
L explained that had come from the
agent in Dieppe, to look over their
houve. For the rest. they must have
heen expecting me; the agent had said
that he would let them know.
But, to my perpleXity, this business
liHe announcement seemed somehow to
embarrass them; even, l might have
thought. TO agitate, to distress them.
They lifted UP their worn old faces,
and eyed me anxiously. They ex-
changed anxious slances with each
other. The woman claspei her hands,
nervously working her fingers. The
man hesitated and stammered a little,
before he was able to repeat vaguely,
You have come to look over the house,
Monsieur"
Surely" I said, the agent has writ
ten TO you? l understood from him
that you would expect me at this hour
to-day
"Oh, yes" the man admitted 1--WE
were expecting you" But he made no
motion to advance matters. He ex-
changed another anxious glance with
his wife. She gave her head sort Of
helpless nod, and looked down."
You see, Monsier," the man began,
as If he We're about to elucidate the
situation, you sec" But then he
faltered, frowning at the air, as one at
less for words.
''The house is already let perhaps ?"
suggested /.
mo, the house is not let" said he.
You had better go and fetch the
key" his wife said at last, in a dreary
way, still looking down.
He trudged heavily back to the farm
house. While he was gone, we stood bv
the door in silence, the woman always
nervously working the fingers of her
clasped hands. / tried, indeed, to make
a little conversation; / ventured some
thing about the excellence of the site.
the beauty of the view. She replied
with a murmur of assent, civilIy but
YEARLY; and l did not feel encouraged
to persist
BY and by her husband reioined us
with the key: and they began silently
to lead me through the house.
There were two pretty drawing
rooms, on the ground floor, a pretty
dining room, and a delightful kitchen.
with a broad hearth of polished red
bricks, tiled chimney, and shining
copper pots and pans. The drawing
'ooms and the dining-room were pleas
lntly furnished, in a light French fash
ION, and their windows opened to the
sun and to the fragrance and greenery
OF the garden. l expressed a good deal
OF admiration; whereupon, little by lit
tle' the manner of my conductors
changed, From constrained, depressed
IL became responsive; even, in the end.
eIuslVe. They met my EXPLANATIONS
with smiles, my inquiries with voluble
Eager answers. But ii remained an
agltated manner, the manner of peo-
pie who were shaken by an emotion.
Their old hands trembled, as they open-
ed the doors Cor me, or drew up the
plnds; their voices trembled. There
was something painful in their very
smiles, as If these were but momentarv
ripples on the surface of trouble.
An l said to myself, they are
hard-pressed for money. They have put
their whole capital into this house. very
likely. They are excited by the pros
pect of securing a tenant"
Now, If you please, Monsieur we
VIII go upstairs. and see the bed
rooms" the old man said.
The fed-rooms We're airy, cheeruI
rooms, lily papered with chintz cur
tains, the usual French bedroom
furniture One of them exhibited
signs of being actually lived in; there
were things about it, personal things
woman's things. It was the last
room we visited, a front room, looking
off to the sea. There were combs and
brushes on the toiet-table; there were
pens, an ink-stand, and a portfolio on
the writing-desk; there were books in
the bookcase. Framed photographs
stood on the mantel-piece. In the clos
et dresses were suspended, and shoes
and slippers were primly ranged on the
floor. The bed was covered with a coun-
terpane OF blue silk; a crucifix hung on
the wall above it; beside 1t there was a
prie-dieu, with little porcelain holy
water vase.
oh" / exclaimed, turning to Mon
sieur and Madame Leroux, this room
is occupied 2"