"The Maid's Diary" Movie
Text / [French] Luis Buñuel,
translated by Jean-Claude Carlier / The
arrival of the maid of Xinhe
1.
In 1928, there was a small station somewhere in the introspection. The train had just stopped when a young woman stepped onto the platform, with two or three passengers behind her. She carried a suitcase and a small bag with her and was dressed quite elegantly. Wear a soft hat on your head and a pair of patent leather shoes on your feet. She slenderly walked to the bottom of the central station in the station square, looking around, as if looking for someone.
The train rumbled out of the station.
The young woman's face suddenly glowed, and she walked quickly towards a carriage. Joseph stood beside the horse, apparently waiting for her. He was a peasant in his forties, with a narrow forehead and bushy short hair, who was flipping through a newspaper with a gloomy expression. The woman walked up to him.
Celestina: "Did you go to the Priory Manor?"
Joseph said gloomily: "Yes..."
Celestina: "Is it far from here?"
Joseph took the suitcase and put it away In the car, he grunted and replied: "You will know when the time comes." On the
road, the horseshoe replied.
Joseph had no intention of chatting or pulling with the female passenger in the same car. With a cigarette butt in his mouth, he said nothing.
The sky was overcast, and the carriage was galloping through the quiet fields. Occasionally you can see a few farmhouses scattered on the field. A faint mist floated by the river in the distance.
Celestina: "Seriously, the country always seems a little melancholy..."
Joseph didn't answer, he didn't even look back, as if he didn't hear her sigh, or didn't pay attention to her at all. .
After a moment of silence, Celestina looked around at the scene, and added: "It seems that people here are quite entertaining themselves, like lunatics..." The
carriage continued on.
Celestina raised one foot and stepped on the unraveled shoelaces on the rim. Joseph turned his head, glanced at her feet, and asked, "Is that all you have on your feet?"
Celestina couldn't figure out what Joseph meant or how to answer.
Joseph turned his face away, looking at the road ahead. He looked contemptuous. A few words were squeezed between her teeth, vague and low, and Celestina didn't understand.
"Don't pretend to be stupid...Drink!" Joseph spat the cigarette butt all the way.
2.
Celestina was momentarily stunned.
The carriage came to town. The town on the right is quite large, with a population of about four or five thousand. But the streets were deserted at this time, and the shutters of the houses were closed.
Celestina looked around, and saw no one. She turned her face to Joseph: "Hello! What is your name?"
"Joseph..."
Celestina stopped asking. She glanced at the empty street again, and then muttered to herself, with a few words out of her teeth, in return for Joseph's contempt for herself: "Damn it!" The
carriage drove along a boulevard outside the manor's fence Come.
The Priory Manor is a beautiful two-story building in the civic style of the nineteenth century. There is a quiet garden in front of the building, and a path leads directly to the fence gate. On either side of the main building are orchards and lower houses; stables and florists' housing. Behind the building is the laundry room. The gardens and orchards are well managed.
As soon as the carriage stopped, Celestina jumped out of the carriage, carried her suitcase, passed through the gate, and walked towards the stone steps of the main building.
Laber stood in the corner of the garden, watching Celestina enter the building. The 60-year-old manor owner seems to be very concerned about appearance: wearing a top hat, high-waisted leather boots, and carrying a cane, his body is spotless and impeccable. He took out a finely crafted silk handkerchief from his pocket, put it to his nose and smelled the rich perfume on it, then folded it again and stuffed it into his pocket. He turned slowly and walked towards the garden. A beautiful German hound romps after him. Laboel leaned over to pick up a pebble and tossed it into the distance. The hound rushed over there immediately.
Montaire, the son-in-law of M. Labre, came up with a shotgun on his shoulder. Claire by his side had three wicker baskets on his arm, and M. Montaire had one on his arm, which seemed to have just been bought from a little girl. Mr. Laber stepped forward to meet him and asked: "How is it? Have you caught a lot of hunting?"
Montaire: "I met her in the middle of the road... I bought this thing... But... "
Mr. Laber knew from the look on his son-in-law's face that he had no money to pay the girl. As he took out the money, he looked at the contents of the basket and said to Clare, "That's nice...Tell me, did you pick it up yourself?" Clare: "No. It's my aunt
."
Er handed the money to Clare.
Clare collects the money. Mr. Laber carefully looked at the dirty, unkempt, and ragged girl, gently took out his beautiful silk handkerchief, opened it, held it with two fingertips, and pinched the girl's nose: "Look at how dirty you are. Blow!" The
girl snorted.
Label: "Take a little more effort."
Clare looked at Mr. Label with a slightly confused look on her face, and complied. Mr. Labour said to his son-in-law sitting on the stone bench: "You are not clean... What's the matter with this unshaven man?"
Montaire: "That's it... I got up at four o'clock, To the forest, it's no less than ten kilometers..."
Mr. Laber folded his handkerchief carefully and put it in his pocket, stroked the girl's hair lightly, but she turned and ran away. Montaire stood up from the stone bench; Labore glanced at Clare, who was running away, and asked Montaire: "What did you hit today?
" He took the prey out of the backpack and showed his father-in-law, but Rabble shook his head: "Don't you think that animals are always more beautiful alive than dead?"
3.
There is a Chinese vase on the high table in the small living room. This small hall communicates with another large living room, both on the ground floor of the main building of the Priory estate. Mrs. Montaire was instructing the new maid Celestine: "Be very careful with this thing, my dear. It is a rare thing to say, and my father likes it very much. It is very precious.
" Stina: "Understood, ma'am."
She was much prettier than Madame Montaire by comparison. The two walked towards the large living room.
Mrs. Montaire: "Would you like to drop something?"
Celestine: "Oh, no, ma'am." The
two walked to the threshold where the large and small living rooms were connected. Without saying a word, Mrs. Montaire began to take off her shoes. Celestina looked at her in surprise.
Mrs. Montaire: "Hey, take off your shoes too... Father's rules are very strict."
Celestina complied. Mrs. Montaire pointed to the rug in the hall and said to her: "It's a Chavonnell rug, understand? It's very expensive... When you come in from the garden, there's always something dirty in your shoes... everybody. You have to take off your shoes when you get here
. The chest of drawers was full of miscellaneous items, such as two porcelain figures from Sèvres, a cigarette case inlaid with shells and silver, and so on.
"Here! Be careful with these things too. They're broken at the touch, and they're precious treasures."
"Understood, ma'am."
"So you like clean..."
"Yes, Madam."
"A lot of other things I can ignore, but I've never been scrupulous about cleanliness. How's your memory?"
"Yes, ma'am."
Mrs. Montaire stood down in front of the glass cabinet , pointed to the various delicate and fragile items in the cabinet and said, "You are not allowed to touch anything here. I will take care of it myself."
"Okay, ma'am."
The two returned to the small living room. Mrs. Montaire looked carefully at Celestine's dress: "I see you are from Paris... This dress is not for country people." She was silent for a moment, staring at Celestina Said, "Let's make it clear: you're here to serve my father. Of course, I'm the one who hired you...but he's the one who's going to serve and win his favor."
Celestina remained sullen . Retiring with the enemy, he kept peeking at her, the master who was talking and giving orders, and still said, "Okay, ma'am."
"My father is a very slender and elegant person, and this kind of person is nowhere to be seen these days. He has him
. _
_ '
Celestina put on her shoes and walked out of the room. Madame Montaire, alone, looked thoughtfully at Celestina's back.
4. A
group of colorful butterflies fluttered among the flowers in the garden. A butterfly rests on the heart of a flower. Suddenly, with the sound of a gunshot outside the painting, the colorful butterfly suddenly turned into dust, leaving only a few rotten wings floating in the air. At the same time, a hoarse cry from Montaire could be heard.
Labre and Montaire were standing just a short distance away—Mr. Labre was the one who shot, and he returned the gun while rubbing his hand lightly on his shoulder, which was hurt by the recoil of the shotgun. to son-in-law.
Montaire: "Fantastic, fantastic! Have you never shot a gun?"
Labore: "I don't think so. " Montaire: "Fantastic
, but...I always thought you were very I love butterflies."
Seemingly embarrassed by his own killing, and displeased by his son-in-law's stupid remarks, Label said, "I've always loved them! I would have preferred to miss them. ..." He turned his face and said to his son-in-law coldly: "Go and clean up yourself! It's really uncomfortable to watch."
5.
A small, stuffy attic on the top floor. Celestina was setting up her things. She put the alarm clock on the bedside table; on the table against the wall, a porcelain Madonna, next to three framed pictures: a valiant valet in French uniform, a A gentleman with a smile on his face, and a slim, upper-class lady - the Duchess. All three frames have inscriptions given to Celestine. The quantity and quality of the underwear she scatters on the bed is not commensurate with her status as a maid. By this time Celestina had changed into a maid's dress. She was accompanied in the house by Mariana, a maid who specialized in chores. Her clothes were disheveled and her hair was unkempt, giving the impression of being dirty and rough.
Celestina put a bundle of letter-stamped crowns next to the photo and an inkwell. Mariana looked on in amazement.
Mariana: "This stationery is so beautiful! Is this the crown?"
Celestine pointed to the Duchess's photo: "Yes, it's the Duchess's note."
Mariana leaned over to the photo and read The words on it: "Saiyile, a little, a little, Tiyina... She wrote your name on it..." She leaned closer, looked more closely for a long time, and then turned to the man in the jockey's uniform. The photo, "The other one, who is this rider on the big horse?"
Celestina stopped what she was doing and smiled, the photo reminded her of a good past: "He! It's William... ...two years ago he won the Dragon Jemps Equestrian Grand Prix..."
Marianna: "William? English?"
Celestina: "Where did you think?"
Celestina continued from the box Take items out. Mariana was still staring at the photos and stationery: "At least you have met a big man." Celestina
: "How are the people here?" Upbringing
..."
Celestina: "Where's the mistress?"
Mariana made a bitter face and hesitated: "She..."
Celestina: "A stupid woman, eh? You can tell at a glance. ."
Mariana: "The sugar cubes need to be counted too, and everything is locked up..." Celestina
shrugged: "These women are all the same... What about her husband?"
The strange expression that described it seemed to tell Celestina that Mr. Montaire is very dangerous for women.
Celestina understood: "Oh! Thank you for your confidant."
Mariana stared at the photo on the table like a charm. Celestina finished dressing, looked at her small mirror again, and got up and left the house.
The philistine home
6.
Montaire is getting ready to shave. He was only wearing a shirt, with his arms open at the front, and the back slumped over the waistband of his trousers. Behind him is an old-fashioned tub and bucket. While smearing soap on his face, he retreated to the tub and bent over to test the temperature of the water with his hands.
Suddenly someone knocked on the door. Montaire was startled at first, then walked behind the closed door: "Is that you, Mariana?"
Celestina: "Do you need anything sir?" Montaire
heard the voice of this strange woman , could not help but stunned. The brush he was lathering on stopped. "Who? Who are you?"
"The new maid, sir.
"
Celestina opened the bathroom door and walked in, bowing her body slightly to show her respect: "Sir." Montaire :
"Good morning... Good morning..."
Surprised, delighted and embarrassed by Tina's arrival, she stammered for words: "I want...my bathrobe...flannel...I put it on the bed...my bathrobe..."
Celestine, listening to him, looked at him with great amusement: "Okay, sir."
She was about to go out, but M. Montaire blocked her way: "Tell me, please tell me, your name Yes..."
"My name is Celestina, sir."
Montaire tried to find a few words that were appropriate for the occasion: "A beautiful name, yes, yes... a beautiful name... You... live here?"
Celestine smiled and said, "I am today Just arrived in the morning, sir."
"Oh, yes, yes..."
Celestine turned to leave, but turned to M. Montaire, "Excuse me, sir, where is your bedroom?"
Montaire, who had apparently forgotten what he had just said, asked back in surprise: "This... why are you asking this?"
"To get your bathrobe, sir."
"Oh, it's not!" With a childish smirk on his face, he ran from the bathroom to the corridor, and with his hand still holding the brush, pointed to a door at the end. Celestina walked in the direction he pointed.
At this moment, Mrs. Montaire shouted: "Celestina, where are you going!?
"
Mrs. Montaire: "Yukata? Isn't the bathrobe in the bathroom?!
" Montaire ran out of the bathroom, holding up his bathrobe: "Celestine! I found it! Just put it in Here!"
Mrs. Montaire shrugged, and Montaire closed the bathroom door shyly. Celestine was about to turn and go downstairs when Madame Montaire stopped her. She pointed to a strangely shaped kerosene lamp on a piece of furniture in the passage and said to the maid:
"I'll remind you by the way that you need to be careful with this lamp, if it breaks, we'll have to send it to England to be repaired. "
"Understood, ma'am."
"You can go."
7. It was
dark.
before the sink. Constance, the cook, held the bucket in one hand and knelt down in front of the sink, while Mariana was close to the side. Below the sink is an earthen pond, and the wooden blocks that were originally placed in it have been taken out by the two of them. Mariana pointed to the bottom of the earthen pond and said, "I think I saw... there, just below..."
Constance took the broom and stabbed it where Mariana pointed, stirring it back and forth. A mouse whizzes out of the crypt and burrows through the kitchen; Constance and Mariana leap from the ground, chasing after them. The mouse got into the hole. Constance slapped her broom hard, but it was too late.
Celestina felt a little relieved: "It's a dirty rat!"
Mariana: "Hey, see you later."
Celestina sat back at the kitchen table and wiped the lamp that must be carefully protected. vintage oil lamp.
Mariana fished the washed dishes one by one from the sink and put them back in their places.
Constance was making tea. She poured boiling water into the tea bowl and placed it on the tray along with the cup, sugar bowl, and spoon.
Celestine, wiping the lamp, said in a shrill voice, imitating Madame Montaire, "I'll remind you by the way that you have to be very careful with this lamp, and if it breaks, we'll have to send it to England. Go get it fixed." She turned to the other women in the room, and said in her own, but somewhat snarky, tone, "If her urinal breaks, will it be sent to London to be repaired? I don't know. Can I stay patient for three days in this stinky place?"
Constance: "I said so, but in the end, I stayed." The
three women went about their work in silence. After a while, Celestina continued: "Maybe I'm wrong, but in my opinion, the wife doesn't seem to be an honest person, eh? There is probably a good friend somewhere else..."
Constance: "Oh, Impossible! Where did you think!"
Celestina: "Why is it impossible?"
Constance: "From what I see, she can't..."
Celestina: "Impossible What?"
Mariana: "She has a disease...she calls out when you touch her."
Celestina: "Is that so?...And what about sir?"
Constance: "In this house, sir is a A worthless thing."
Mariana: "Hunt every day, nothing else."
The door from the kitchen to the orchard opened. Joseph walked in silently, and the kitchen was suddenly silent, and the chat was abruptly interrupted.
Joseph took off his cap and hung it on the wall stud. He took a newspaper from his coat pocket, went to the kitchen table, and stood for a moment before Celestina. He stared at Celestina, who was cleaning the lampshade, without saying a word.
Mariana said to Celestina, "Your seat is Joseph's place."
"Ah, I see." Celestina meekly got up and changed a chair to sit down, still wiping the oil lamp in her hand. the glass cover, while the rest of the lamp remains in place.
Joseph sat down, spread out the newspaper—Le Action de France—to read it, but felt that the oil lamp on the table was in the way: "Give me the lamp."
Celestine put the glass cover on the edge of the table, Without leaving his seat, he leaned slightly and reached for the oil lamp. Unexpectedly, he bent his elbow and knocked the glass cover off the ground. The lampshade shattered with a crisp sound.
Joseph: "Wonderful! The wife should be happy now..."
Celestina said angrily, "You can't blame me!"
Joseph put his glasses on the bridge of his nose: "Then blame me!"
Celestina said : "That's none of my business! Maybe I'll take a trip to England for that...and change the lampshade there."
She stood up and walked past Joseph. Joseph read the newspapers to himself, making comments while reading.
A small light corresponding to a certain room on the luminous indicator plate calling for the servants flashed, and a piercing bell sounded at the same time.
Celestina: "Who is this called?"
Mariana: "It's for you. It's time for the old man to drink medicine."
Boss Celestina stood up reluctantly and picked up Constance just now. Wire ready trays. Mariana hurriedly began to pick up the broken pieces of glass scattered on the ground. Celestina held the tray, wiped Joseph's side, pushed open the door and walked towards the main building.
8.
Label was alone in the study. He was sitting at the writing desk, wearing a luxurious nightgown, with a silk scarf tied around his neck, and focused on sorting out the postcards collected in the album. He slowly flipped through it, admiring some of the rare treasures he had collected. These postcards are all printed in 1900 and have a distinctly different style.
Someone knocked on the study door.
"Wait a minute."
Laber poked the page he was flipping through with a small knife, and put the book together. He got up and walked towards the door, pulled the latch, and opened the door: "Come in."
Celestina stood outside the door with a tray in hand. With a smile and an amiable appearance, Rabble first looked the maid up and down, then invited her into the room and pointed to where Celestina should put the tray.
"Celestina, Celestina...I like the name very much...I really like it..." Laber pointed to the empty space on the edge of the postcard booklet on the table, "put the plate here. ..." He put his hands in the pockets of his pajamas and took a few steps in the room, "However, this name is a little long, don't you think? It can even be said that it is too long... If you agree, outside? I'll call you Mary..." He mused again, "Mary...beautiful, Mary, and short." Celestina poured the potion into a cup. "Besides, I used to call all the maids Mary's... It's become a habit... It seems that it is impossible for me to change my name."
Celestina: "How many candies do you want to add, sir? " Two dollars... so, you're not surprised
that I call you Mary?"
"Of course you can, sir."
"That's great."
There's nothing else to do, I'm leaving."
Labore: "No, no...please wait, little Mary...please wait a moment. Are you busy?"
Celestine: "I'm a professional Waiting for you, sir."
Laber: "Then, maybe you like to read?"
Celestine looked at the old man in surprise: "Yes, but...I don't have a lot of free time."
" Do you read fluently?"
"Ah, yes, sir!"
Rabble said thoughtfully, but still kindly, holding up his glass: "Sometimes, at night, I feel exhausted . . . Someone read me something...how refreshing that beautiful voice is...if you will..." He got up and walked towards the bookcase, and quickly pulled a book out of it--Whismans The opposite of what he's written -- and then back at Celestine, "Let's try a little bit, what do you think? Have you read this Whitsmans?"
Thaler Stina: "No, sir."
"An excellent writer, and I like it very much..." Labore sat comfortably in the leather armchair, ready to hear Celestine read to him, "Choose a paragraph. ."
Celestine also sat down, opened the book, and read without choosing: "In view of the age of the world, alcohol and wine are all filthy, and freedom has become corrupt." He listened attentively with a dazed expression, "If you are poor, you must give a large dose of medicine to save your heart..." After taking a sip of the medicinal soup, Labore stood up from his chair, held his breath, walked to Celestina and sat down. "In order to make the world understand the respectability of the ruling class and at the same time recognize that the commoner class should be rescued and respected..."
Labore suddenly interrupted Celestina's reading and leaned over to her to study her legs carefully. Come: "Mary... Mary, please listen to me... Wouldn't you be unhappy if I stroked your calf?"
Celestine looked at Labre in astonishment; M. Labre seemed to see through The girl was terrified, and hurriedly comforted her with dignity and dignity: "Oh, don't be afraid!... You don't need to be afraid of me at all, you don't need a little bit... Do you really mind?"
Han Le Stina: "This... yes, it doesn't matter, sir."
Laber: "Then please continue reading, read."
Celestina began to read again. At the same time, Mr. Laber's hand gently stroked her calf from bottom to top.
Celestina read aloud: "...The terrifying head was burning and dripping with blood, and the beard and hair were stained with purple blood."
Laber rubbed her calf while listening intently to her reading. Suddenly, he looked up at Celestine, then stood up straight and asked, "Mary, what's your size?"
Celestina was surprised: "What did you say, sir?"
Labb I first looked at Celestina's legs, then walked towards the closet, asking, "What size are you wearing..."
"Size thirty-five."
"What a coincidence... Thirty-five. Wait a minute!" Labore quickly opened the closet, full of women's high-waisted boots. He rummaged inside, picked out a pair of black button-up boots, and went back to Celestina: "Here... it's great... 'Rose in the Wind' brand. Take it... every day. I want you to wear these boots when you come to me at night... they remind me of the past, you see? You don't have to wear them during the day, but at night, promise me to do it."
Celestina looked in amazement at the outdated leather boots, and was about to put them on in obedience when someone knocked on the door outside. Rabble turned pale for a moment, and immediately put back his boots, quickly put it back in the closet, and then responded, "Come in!" The
door opened, and Madame Montaire walked in angrily with the remains of the ancient English lamp in her hand. . As soon as Celestina got up from the chair, the wife exclaimed angrily: "Celestina! I have already warned you to be extra careful with this lamp!"
Celestina: "But It's not my fault, ma'am! Listen to me and explain it to you."
Madame Montaire resolutely: "You don't need to explain anything!"
Laber said to his daughter coldly: "What happened? Mrs. Montaire: "
She broke the shade of this old English lamp." Laber: "That's what it is. It's nothing special. I never thought of that lamp as a treasure." Mrs. Montaire's anger suddenly subsided, but she continued to say to Celestine: "I believe you will be more careful in the future." Celestina: "Yes, ma'am."
Madame Montaire turned round and went out, closing the door behind her. Celestina sat down to read again; Label paced up and down the room. At last he couldn't take it anymore, and clapped his hands on his forehead and said, "You see! It's always like this! Whenever you just want to do something...just...Alas! How boring! My little Mary...what are you going to do? That's it for tonight...you can go."
He asked for the book Celestina had just picked up. The maid had no choice but to stand up again and stay there, bewildered. Laber nervously put the book back on the bookcase, then returned to her.
"Yeah...that's enough tonight. You can go. Thank you."
Celestina opened the door: "Good night, sir..."
Mr. Laber nodded sternly. Celestina closed the door and left. Laber said to himself, as if he had discovered something very important: "Beautiful girl... modest and gentle... Well, great..."
Labre went to play with his postcard book again. set, looking thoughtfully.
Everyone has their own
privacy
. Mr. Laber and Mrs. Montaire and their daughter were waiting to go to town in the single carriage that Joseph had brought Celestine to the estate. At the door, just as the carriage was about to start, Mrs. Montaire said to Celestine, who was waiting beside the carriage, "You clean the room well, but don't go into my bathroom, it's nothing to worry about. Celestina: "
Yes, ma'am." The
carriage started.
Celestina was left alone in the garden. The hostess was not at home, and no one was monitoring and urging her. She was at ease, pacing aimlessly among the flowers under the tree. Suddenly, a burst of glass shattering burst into the ear. She turned her head and saw that a piece of glass in the conservatory had been shattered. She checked it carefully for a while, and picked up a wooden stick to hit a green baby lying on the ground, as if it was a fake Buddha who was the culprit. However, just as she approached, she was about to strike with a stick, when a stone came flying, and another glass shattered. Celestina was taken aback and looked up, trying to figure out where the stone came from. She stared at the boundary wall between Priory Manor and the manor next door, and saw a piece of firewood, and then another stone flew over the wall one after another.
The stone shattered another piece of glass, and at the same time Celestina heard Captain Maug shouting happily from the other side of the wall: "Go to hell!" Celestina was furious. Quickly walked to the foot of the boundary wall; at the foot of the wall lay a tree trunk, and several empty flower pots were placed on it with the mouth facing down. She stepped on the trunk, clawed at the top of the wall, and looked across.
Captain Maug was digging hard on his garden. Captain Maug was a retired military officer who, despite his age, had bright eyes, a strong voice, and great energy. Every time a stone was dug up, he picked it up and threw it hard at the Priory Manor.
Celestina: "Aha! Are you throwing stones?" The
captain straightened up and replied angrily, "What's your business?"
Celestina: "But you What are you doing?" The
captain dropped his hoe and walked towards Celestina: "Oh, girl! I really pity you! You don't know what kind of people you have strayed into. Yes, so to speak, you are in Working for a complete bastard's house."
Celestina: "Why do you say that?"
At this moment Miss Rose—the captain's housemaid—came into the garden and interrupted two human conversation. Rose is a woman in her forties, with a thick and bloated waist, but she looks clean and attractive, and her hair is neatly combed. She walked towards the two of them along the trail.
Rose said to Celestina: "Look, it's finally here...you're not used to taking care of other people's business at all times. But yes, you've just come from Paris...you see People here aren't so pleasing to the eye, aren't they?"
she babbled as she climbed the low ladder to the top of the wall, standing face to face with Celestina across the wall.
Celestina: "Of course I don't like it, ma'am. Thank you for thinking about it." The
captain had already grabbed his hoe and was about to dig the ground, but when he heard that Celestina called Rose "Mrs." Then he stopped again: "It's not 'Mrs.', it's 'Miss'. She should be called Miss Rose. To me, she is far more than a servant... She is a rare woman!
" At the compliment, Rosey smiled contentedly.
The captain continued to dig the ground. The tip of the hoe dug out a stone, which he picked up as usual and threw it to the garden opposite.
Celestina: "Do you have something to do with Mr. Labre?"
Captain Mauge: "With that old Labre? Oh, nothing! That stinky shoemaker isn't worth my trouble at all?"
cold field. Celestina didn't seem to understand what he meant by "shoemaker".
Captain Mauge: "I'm scolding his son-in-law, that damned Montaire! He's such a jerk! That's what I say!"
Rose went down the ladder to the captain: "Let me tell you , Miss Celestina, that guy said a lot of bad things about the two of us..." Captain Maug
: "He scolds me because I eat at the same table with Rose... But that's my business, he can manage Is that my dinner table! What if I'd like to have her in bed with me? Huh? Isn't that my right? Say it!"
Celestine began to find it all ridiculous: "Of course. It's your right."
Rose smiled and glanced at the captain at work.
Rose said to Celestina, "Everyone knows that he's a lonely man..."
The captain digs the ground vigorously. No more stones were dug up. Rose climbed the ladder again to speak to Celestina. The captain scolded as he did it: "A complete hooligan! That guy
Montaire deserves to scold him like that!" Roselle looked at the captain tenderly, then said to Celestina with a smile and a kind expression: "It's true Interesting! Like a child...how childish despite her age!"
Celestina nodded. Rose gathered a smile, approached Celestina, and whispered to her like a close friend: "Girl, you are so beautiful... Be careful... The town has started to gossip about you... "..."
Celestina was surprised: "Tell me?"
Rose: "It's not. You must be careful not to do stupid things... Listen to that, you and Montaire... don't believe that... Because, for any maid who works in our neighbor's house, either the hostess will be resigned, or the man will have a belly..."
Celestina: "The insurance is fine..."
Roselle Stubbornly: "Remember... with that man, just come here once, huh! Make sure to make a child!"
At this time, the captain dug out another stone from the ground. He picked it up contentedly, and, as before, threw the partition wall into the neighbor's garden: "Fuck you, real villain!" The
stone fell in response. Another glass in the conservatory was smashed to pieces. On the ground, a group of ants are busy happily...
10.
There is only Montell in the restaurant. He came back from a day of hunting, just finished eating, and was lazy there. There is a plate of snacks on the table. He took a bottle of wine and a glass from the shelf, drank a glass, and ate a muffin. Celestina walked in with a tray of freshly washed wine glasses and placed them in the cupboard. Mr. Montaire watched her every move with drooling eyes. He hesitated and hesitated, not knowing where to start. Finally, he finally had a topic: "Is that so, Celestina... I believe you will get used to this place slowly..."
Celestina put down her work and glanced at Montaire for the first time : "I still don't know how to say it..." She was a little more presumptuous. "What about you, sir? You must be used to it, right?"
Montaire didn't expect her to ask a question in return, and was stunned, but he didn't seem to be annoyed. But he didn't know what to say next. He grinned, took a sip of wine, ate a snack, and said with a bulging mouth, "Ouch! Celestina, you gotta get used to it...you gotta get used to it, Celestina!
" Lestina propped her elbows and leaned on the table, her tone and posture were full of provocation: "I will try my best...with your help sir..."
Seeing Celestina's face Smiling and affectionate, Montaire couldn't help but cheer up. He got up from his chair and ran towards Celestine with his arms outstretched. "Oh! I'll bet anything: you've tasted all kinds of flowers in Paris, haven't you?
" Stina: "Sir, who do you take me to be?"
Montaire now felt full of courage and boldly attacked the maid. And Celestina smiled and watched him rush over.
Montaire: "Okay! Did I say something bad? Eh? A girl as beautiful as you!" He wrapped his arms around her waist. "I'm in favor of having fun, mother! I'm in favor of flirting. , Celestine! I stand for indulgence, and God can testify!"
Celestina smiled lightly, and shook off Montaire's arm: "Sir, you should really tell what you said. Madam knows..."
Mentioning his wife, Montaire immediately took a step back and cursed: "Madam! What is she! Don't think I'll let her be at the mercy of me! She disgusts me!"
Thaler Stina: "Sir is exaggerating. Madam, she is so kind."
Montaire poured another glass of wine and said gloomily: "Be kind!... Listen to me... She is kind?... She Ruined my whole life...I'm not a man, but..." He stepped back to his seat, "People are laughing at me everywhere..."
Celestina leaned in front of him teasingly. He handed over the dessert plate: "Would you like a sponge cake?"
Celestina took a piece and ate it in her mouth, while Montaire took advantage of the situation to take her other hand and stroke it: "Please understand me...I wish you happiness...you are not like my wife. You...you're so sweet, so kind...Celestina, if you want...if you want..." He put his hand around Celestina's waist.
Celestina pretended to be surprised: "What are you doing, sir?"
Montaire: "You already understand..."
Celestina seemed to have just realized: "Sir wants me to be your sorry wife with you. what happened?"
Montel said boldly: "Yes, that's right! That's what I've been looking forward to... Since you came here, I... I can't sleep every night... listen to me. , Celestine, I won't fool around, never will. I won't make you a baby. I swear I won't make a baby!"
Celestina broke free from Montaire's embrace . Now she stopped laughing and making fun.
She looked grim and said coldly: "Enough, sir! . . . or I'll tell my wife all this!" Montaire was extremely disappointed. Celestina picked up the empty plate and walked towards the door. At the door she stopped again. In order not to cut off this tender love with Montaire, and give him some hope, she turned her head back with a smile and said to him in a meaningful way: "Sir, don't be impatient, I'll get used to it over time!"
she left. Montaire heard hope from this sentence, and his sorrow disappeared suddenly, and he even became happy and joyful. He drank the fine wine in one gulp.
11.
A few fat geese were pacing in the garden. Suddenly, the geese were terrified and fled in all directions, flapping their white wings. Joseph was chasing the geese when he finally caught a fat goose, grabbed its long neck, and walked to a simple thatched hut in the corner of the courtyard. Celestina walked over with a basket of clothes on her arm.
Inside the hut were all kinds of household clutter. Joseph reached out and pulled a sharp knife from the wooden pier. He sat down on the wooden pier, holding the goose tightly between his legs.
Celestina walked to the backyard laundry with a basket of dirty clothes. When she passed by the hut, the screams of geese were heard from inside. She looked inward through the crack of the hut's door, and was suddenly stunned by what she saw: "Enough! Kill it! Don't let it suffer!" The
goose wailed in pain, struggled, and beat desperately. with wings.
Celestina was so frightened that she stared straight at the horrific sight.
Joseph: "Suffer it, suffer it well! ... The more uncomfortable it is now, the better it will taste!"
Celestina was overwhelmed by this tragedy, she tried her best to control her emotions, and walked away. opened. But the dying cry of the geese and the voice of Joseph were still heard.
Joseph: "Besides, this makes me happy..."
Celestina walked into the laundry room. Mariana is doing laundry. The great bell of a nearby church rang.
Inside, Madame Montaire was putting groceries in the pantry. She took the eggs out of one basket and stacked them in another straw-covered pot, which she placed on the storage board. Then she grabbed a few more eggs and put them in her hands to look left and right. The door between the storage room and the kitchen was open, and Constance was scrubbing the tiles in the kitchen. Joseph walked into the kitchen from the yard, slaughtered goose in his hand.
Mrs. Montaire: "Oh, it's done? This goose looks good."
Joseph: "Yes, ma'am. It's about eight kilograms."
Mrs. Montaire pointed to the table on which the eggs were placed: " Leave it there."
Joseph put the goose on the table, while Madame Montaire continued to whisk her eggs. Joseph had no intention of leaving. He held his hat in his hand and stood outside the table, as if something had happened. Madame Montaire saw it and glanced at him: "What, Joseph? Do you have anything? Do you have something to tell me?"
Joseph: "Yes, ma'am."
Mrs. Montaire: "Then, Please tell me."
Joseph said awkwardly: "This...is about the maid she..."
Mrs. Montaire: "Is it Celestine?"
Joseph: "Yes, ma'am."
Mrs. Montaire: "Is there anything she can do?"
Joseph: "Well, it's like this... She came here a few days ago, and..."
Mrs. Montaire: "Just How's it going?"
Joseph: "Just chatting with the neighbors at an exorbitant price."
Mrs. Montaire looked a little more relaxed, but still maintained a stern expression: "That's all?"
Joseph: "Last Sunday, she After Mass, came back with Rose...and even went to her house, once in her yard...you understand?"
Mrs. Montaire: "Thank you, Joseph. That's good."
Joseph Yow Yow, turned around and went out. Mrs. Montaire went on to inspect and store her eggs.
12.
Constance roasts beef on the stovetop. It was about half past eight in the evening. A kerosene lamp was lit in the kitchen. Constance tasted the gravy and added some salt to the pan. Mariana set four plates and cutlery on the table. Little Clare is eating a piece of dry bread. Constance poured a little gravy onto a plate and handed it to Clare. Clare looked at Constance, pointed to the plate and asked, "Can I dip the bread in the broth?"
Constance: "Of course I can."
Clare was about to continue eating when the kitchen door opened, Joseph came in. He was wearing a cap and collar up, and he was soaking wet—it was pouring rain outside, and the rain thumped against the roof and the glass windows. Joseph took off his hat and shook off the rain. When he saw Klar, he rushed over aggressively: "Ha, it's you! What are you doing here? Don't you know how late it is? I seem to remember that you were not allowed to come here!"
Klar looked shiveringly Joseph, stop eating.
Joseph took off his coat, pulled up a chair, and sat down on Clare's left. Clare took two more bites of bread, but looked at Joseph with a lingering fear. While guarding the meat pot, Constance said coldly to Joseph: "I asked her to come."
Joseph: "Why..."
Constance: "Why not..."
Joseph asked Clare: "How about your aunt? How is she?"
Clare: "Not so good..."
Constance put a piece of meat on Joseph's plate, and Mary Anna sat down on the other side of the table.
Joseph leaned over to Clare, reached out and twisted her neck, forcing her to look at him. The girl was trembling with fear.
Joseph: "You look at me...you look in my eyes...look carefully, yes, that's it...what did you see?"
Klar trembled and replied in a low voice: "I...see myself... ..."
Joseph: "This proves that I look up to you, you should understand..." Then he wrapped his hands around Clare's neck and touched her forehead with his forehead, "It means I have you in my mind. ..."
Celestina suddenly appeared at the kitchen door. She stood motionless in the doorway watching the scene. Her eyes were particularly aware of Joseph's rough hands around Clare's neck.
Celestina sat down on the other side of Clare. While she was seated, Joseph let go of the girl and began the meal without a word.
Constance served Celestina a plate of roast pork. Celestina looked at the plate and pushed it aside: "No, thank you."
While eating, Mariana asked in surprise, "Aren't you hungry?"
Celestina: "Not hungry . Joseph ate with relish, and without raising his head, he mumbled, "
I probably want to eat mushrooms..."
Celestina said angrily to Joseph, "Even if you eat it, it's not the first time. Come on! Not everyone here deserves to say that!" She picked up a loaf of bread from the table and asked Constance, "Where's the butter?"
Constance pointed upstairs without saying a word.
Mariana: "Butter? No butter..."
Constance: "You gotta go upstairs for the key..."
Celestina looked frustrated and displeased. She turned around and found a basket of apples on the kitchen table behind the goods.
Constance served and sat down to eat.
Joseph: "Pass me the wine."
Joseph poured the wine. Clare ate timidly. Celestina got up and picked two apples from the basket.
Joseph: "Give me one..."
Celestina sat down calmly. Two apples, keep one for myself, and give the other to Klar.
Celestina: "I'm not used to serving..." The tone suddenly became more contemptuous and acerbic, "Serve those who inform, understand?"
Joseph: "What did you say?"
Celestina was furious , looking directly at Joseph face to face for the first time: "Well, if I want, I will visit the neighbor's house every day!" Pointing to the mansion, "Go! Go and report it, what are you waiting for?"
Joseph was indifferent With a smile, he continued to eat his meal. Mariana and Constance eat their own food. Clare was sleepy and tired, head resting on his arms, leaning over the table. Celestina stroked her hair and patted her softly as she tucked the apple she had just brought into the girl's pocket.
The house was silent. All I could hear was the sound of chewing while eating and the sound of raindrops pattering outside. At this time, someone knocked on the window glass outside.
Joseph: "Come in!" The
door opened, and the clergyman entered the room and put away the dripping umbrella. Church clerk: "Good night, everyone... You don't know how much it's raining
! How should I say, it's good to cool off the heat."
Joseph: "Please take a seat."
Sit down in between. This is a man in his fifties. Although his age is not much different from Joseph's, he is far less strong than the latter. He was wearing a round hat, and he was very imposing, very much like a senior priest. As soon as he took his seat, he took out a copy of Le French Action from his pocket and handed it to Joseph: "Take it... take a good look: it seems that more than twenty white-cap pigs have been injured (Note 1)."
Joseph spread the newspaper on the table. The news made him very excited. He browsed the news impatiently: "It's great!"
Church secretary: "Yeah, it's really good."
Joseph: "It's a pity that it didn't come in one pot!"
Church secretary: "In addition, in Romania, kill ten Two jews." Joseph: "Not so many twelve! That's how it
should be, isn't it? How about Richard's article?
"
Rejoicing at the good news, Joseph poured a glass of wine for himself and the clergyman. The two toasted. Marianna approached curiously and asked, "Why do you keep talking about killing Jews?" The
church secretary was stunned beforehand, but Jier answered her kindly, "Aren't you patriotic?"
Marianne: "Of course I love it..." The parson of the
church: "Oh, then I'll have it!"
While eating cheese, Joseph interjected viciously: "If I were in Paris, I would kill him every day."
And the church The minister calmly and meaningfully continued to enlighten Mariana: "The ministers of the government...the government, the judges,...all are nothing but a group of traitors...the Jews depend on the slaves! Because of this, everything is bad now. Absolutely. Here's the reason. Wherever you see a Bolshevik, there must be a Jew behind him. Now, they are turning against the church again..."
Joseph interrupted him disapprovingly: "In my opinion, yes Against priests..."
Church chief: "I knew you didn't like priests."
Joseph: "I really don't like priests, but I am in favor of religion. People can't live without religion..."
Church chief: "I love you Said the priests would help us drive out the Jews. Just wait and see." The
bell rang in the kitchen. Celestina, who had been sitting beside her and rocked little Clare for a while now, turned her head to look at the light on the indicator board in disgust.
"It's so annoying, you're calling me again!" Celestina stood up with her arms in her arms. She listened to the sound of the rain outside the room, looked at the girl in her arms, and then walked towards the door, "Okay, I'll put her in my room to sleep." The clergyman
: "If you agree, Let me settle her down."
Celestina: "No, she has to follow me." The parson:
"Oh, I won't eat her again!"
Celestina: "I know What to do,"
she said, glancing meaningfully at the clergyman, as if to say to him: I must never entrust a girl to someone who thinks like that. Then she left the kitchen without a word.
Joseph finished his meal and pushed the plate away. At this time, the clergyman drank the wine in his glass and stood up: "Okay, let's get to work... I want to rest early."
Joseph said to Constance: "Go and give Let's get some paper and ink."
Celestina carried Clare across the doorway and up the stairs. At the turn leading to the servants' house, Celestina put the girl on the floor and said softly to her, "Wait for me here, don't make a sound!"
Celestina turned around and walked away Down the stairs.
Claire fell asleep curled up on the ground with an apple in hand.
Celestina went into the small living room. In the living room, Labore and Montaire were sitting at the card table, concentrating on playing a game called "Gobang", rolling the dice in turn. A little further away, Mrs. Montaire sat behind her desk, sorting out her books. She said to Celestine, "Listen to me, Celestine . . . Does the maid have the habit of wearing perfume in Paris?
" It depends on the situation... some work and some don't."
Mrs. Montaire: "Well, my boy, in our place people don't think it's appropriate for women to wear perfume. For maids, it's even more so. So. You know what I mean?
Celestina: "Got it, ma'am. "
Mme. Montaire seemed to be speaking only to explain something to Celestine, and there was no malice in her words. But then her tone changed, and she picked up a handkerchief from the chair beside her, and said to Celestina coldly, "Take it! It stinks!"
She had just returned to the table, and turned to point at her. There were three empty coffee cups on the one-legged round table in the living room, and ordered, "Take these cups too!"
Celestina quickly put the cups on the tray and squinted at the two who were playing chess. Sir, he walked out the door.
Montaire stared at the back of the maid: "Honey, don't you think... it's too much?"
Mrs. Montaire: "Shut up! And I warn you not to run around behind her!"
Montaire : "Me? But this..."
Mrs. Montaire: "You should still remember what happened to Miss Jesulo last year. It cost me fifteen hundred francs!"
Mrs. Montaire surrounded The poker table paced back and forth.
Montaire: "But I said, my dear...a girl like Celestine from Paris, who knows what she's been up to? The experience must have been complicated! There must have been... God knows she's dyed. How many diseases...you think I will..." Madame Montaire
: "I know you well." Labore was obviously very tired. He threw the dice and the dice, and suddenly stood up and said:
"Enough, enough! I'm here so I can spend some time in your company after dinner, and you start arguing after a few words. I can't take it anymore. I'll go back to my room All right."
Laber left his seat angrily and walked towards Madame Montaire. Immediately she stood up and put her forehead up to be kissed by her father. And he just made a kiss gesture, but his lips didn't even touch her forehead.
Laber: "Good night," Mrs. Montaire: "Good night
, Dad."
Montaire hurriedly turned his face to the door and said to his father-in-law's back, "Good night, Dad."
Then he went up to the wife, who was sitting back in the chair, and said, "Listen to me, my dear, if you are so upset for Celestine, then you should know..."
Mrs. Montaire: " You know I'm never jealous. My concern is not to waste our money."
Immediately after she said that, she went to check her accounts again, while Montaire went back to the table to clean up the mess.
In Celestina's room, Clare was fast asleep on her bed. Celestina went to the bed and carefully covered the girl with the covers; she kept her hands lightly for fear of waking the girl. Then she went to the closet and sprinkled a few drops of perfume on the handkerchief. She smiled secretly, and put some perfume on both earlobes.
In the kitchen, the clergyman sits at the well-kept dinner table, engrossed in writing political leaflets. Joseph paced up and down behind him, pausing from time to time to look over the shoulder of the clerk to look at the manuscript in preparation, while Mariana was helping Constance with the dishes.
The consul put down his pen, picked up a draft with a few lines and read it to Joseph:
"To the Patriots of France: France has fallen into the hands of the Gringoes, and she has been sold to the Jews for gold coins. The French army is being abused. The Catholic Church Being persecuted..."
Celestina walked out of the kitchen with the prepared soup. Joseph stopped, listened carefully to the drafted text by the clergyman, and nodded in approval.
The clergyman continued to read: "...Get ready! The time of the national revolution is coming! Enough, lies and betrayals! Enough, ugly and bad deeds!"
Joseph: "No, wait...don't 'enough' , It is better to change
the sentence to: 'Enough is enough, corruption and incompetence!' As Mariana washed the dishes, she turned to them and said, "If you'll allow me to express my opinion, I'd prefer the expression 'Enough is enough, bad deeds.'"
Joseph glared at her and said rudely, "Is it Did we ask you for advice?"
Mariana was bored, turning her back and continuing to wash the dishes. The clergyman read again aloud.
Laber was pacing up and down his office and study with a thick book in his hand when someone knocked on the door.
Labore: "Come in, Mary..."
Labore seemed to have been waiting in the study for a long time. He was in a very bad mood and was restless. Celestina walked in smilingly with the decoction in her hand.
Celestina: "Good night, sir."
Label sat down on the armchair. A pair of women's leather boots was placed on a chair beside the armchair, on which Marie Celestine usually sat to read for Label. There is a book on the side desk. Everything was arranged the same as the night before. Celestine placed the tray on the desk in front of Monsieur Label and began to pour the soup into the cup, while scanning the title of the book on the table out of the corner of her eye. Labore, who had been watching her every move, immediately noticed where she was looking, so the boss flipped the book on the table unhappily, as if he didn't want others to see the title of the book. Celestina couldn't help but wonder in her heart when she saw this. After she poured the decoction, she added two pieces of white sugar to the cup as usual. When the placement was in place, she walked around the armchair where Laber was sitting, and walked from behind him to the empty chair to be seated. Raboel stared at her suspiciously, staring at her cautiously, as if he didn't understand the purpose of the maid's move. Just as Celestina was about to sit down on the chair with the leather boots on it, Label asked, "What are you doing?"
Celestina was stunned by the question, and froze beside the chair. : "I'm going to... put on boots..."
"Wear boots?"
"Yeah, sir."
"Tonight, no, Mary...leave me alone for a while...please go out, go out."
Celestina circled back to collect the trays, but was stopped by Labor. He said, "Don't worry about that. Pack up tomorrow...you go."
"Good night, sir."
Celestina turned and walked out the door.
Laber still sat, alone, thoughtful, worried, and restless.
The house was dead silent. It was dark outside the window.
13.
The morning light is dim. At the door of the main building of the manor, Montaire checked the shotgun and went back into the front hall to get the backpack. Then Celestina came in with a bucket, a mop, and a duster. A shawl was elegantly tied in her hair. Montaire seemed to remember Celestine's seductive attitude from the last time they talked, so as soon as she saw her approaching, he dropped his shotgun and ran forward, ignoring Celestina's hand. Li carrying the cleaning equipment, clumsily hugged her by the waist: "How? Are you here to see me?"
Celeste: "Don't touch me!"
Montaire: "Ha, what a stopper. Celestine! What, you're used to it? Huh? Are you used to it?"
Celestina tried her best to turn her face away from Montaire's kiss: "Let go of me! Sir, you already know, I It 's not a thing..."
"Come on... what do you mean by that?"
"We're a dirty girl..."
"Oh, I said, Celestina, my little darling..."
"I'm still sick..."
"What?"
Celestina took advantage of Montaire's stunned moment to get rid of his embrace. Montaire obviously didn't want to believe it, and wanted to come up and hug her again: "Oh, fuck! Celestina..."
Celestina had already drifted away lightly. Montaire chased after a few steps: "Listen to me, listen to me tell you..."
Celestine: "Humph! Stinky shit!"
Montaire was angry and annoyed, and stopped chasing . He turned back, grabbed the shotgun, backpack, and bonnet, and stormed out of the house.
In the garden outside the house. On the other side of the partition, Captain Mauge put the ladder up against the wall, climbed up the top of the wall, and used scissors to cut off the branches of a large tree in Mr. Laber's garden that had crossed the border to his side. He worked very hard, and looked carefully, to cut off just the part of the branch that protruded over the boundary wall; the cut branches were neatly piled on the top of the wall in front of him.
Montaire ran from his house to the courtyard, in full hunting gear, with a shotgun on his armed belt. He was ridiculed by Celestina just now, and now he is burning with anger, and he is not angry. He glanced at the captain standing high on the top of the ladder across the wall, and stepped forward: "Listen, please don't bother, are you condescending to trim the trees for me?" The
captain looked at the man standing over the wall. Montaire, replied calmly: "I cut off those branches that stick into my yard. Do you have anything to say? It's my right."
Montaire looked down at the mess thrown in his yard , even more angry: "Aha! It's too bullying!" He picked up a rusty gasoline can on the ground and held it in front of the captain for him to see, "Look at this! , and cut my tree!" The
captain gathered up the branches that had been cut in front of him, and threw them to Montaire's feet, saying: "Get your branches! You should have been careful to let them stay. In my own yard. Am I involved in your family business? Hypocrite!"
Montaire: "Wow, you stinky pig! But I tell you, I can't let you go this time! I swear, this It's impossible to get you to court!"
Captain Mauge: "I will accompany you wherever you go!"
Montaire: "I have a witness this time! I have a witness!"
Captain Mauge: "Really? Let me see, take your witness out and see."
Montaire saw Joseph walking across the yard with his horse: "Joseph! You saw that, didn't you? He cut my tree! Am I right? Joseph ,
expressionless, looked in the direction of Captain Maug. I saw the captain standing on the other side of the wall with a smirking smile. Joseph replied in a low voice, "Yes, sir."
Montaire: "Excellent!"
Joseph continued on his way with the horse, ignoring the ongoing quarrel.
Montaire turned smugly at the captain.
Captain Maug: "Servants! Servants don't count!"
Montaire: "What doesn't count? Let's wait and see, old bastard!"
Captain Mauge: "There's nothing to see."
Montaire bent down to pick up the pruning branches that Captain Mauge had thrown on the grass: "You have to go to court and make it clear to the judge! You drag it away!"
Captain Mauge said, "Whether you are in the hall or an official, you are welcome. Let's see if you have the guts, you wife-scaring thing!
" Bucket, at Captain Maug's insults, walked away in a huff. Seeing him walking away, Mauge stepped down the ladder and disappeared behind the boundary wall. But in a blink of an eye, his head appeared from the wall again, and he scolded Montail with the most powerful scolding: "Stinky Jew!"
Montaire was startled, shrugged his shoulders, and walked away angrily.
Mrs. Montaire went into her private bathroom, closed the door, and locked it from the inside with the key. There is no bathtub in the bathroom, only a washbasin, a dressing table, a mirror, a bidet and a screen. So it's more like a chemical laboratory than a bathroom. There was a pot of boiling water on the stove. There are test tubes and flasks filled with various solutions on the table, next to a large bag of cotton wool and other odd-shaped sundries, and there is even a retort for distillation on the dresser.
With the skillful movement typical of an alchemist, Madame Montaire drew a little of the solution from a test tube with a straw, counted it drop by drop into the boiling water, and squeezed out a bit of white from another glass bottle. Add the powder to the water tank. Then she poured the prepared liquid into an enema.
Hallway on the first floor. Celestina came out of her room. She had put on high-waisted leather boots on her feet, and she was more prettier than usual. She went to M. Laber's door, hesitated for a moment, and at last made her way to Madame Montaire's bathroom. She stood outside the door and put her ear against the door to listen to the sounds coming from inside: the murmur of boiling water, the clack of glassware, the ding of metal objects... She knocked on the door.
"Who is it?"
"It's me, ma'am."
"Is something wrong?"
"Ma'am, I can't clean your bathroom right now because..."
"Okay...don't worry...you go. I won't call you. Don't come."
"Okay, ma'am."
Celestine turned and knocked on the door of Mr. Laber's study. The door opened, and Laboel showed his head: "Ah, Mary... Come on, come in."
Labore, as usual, was well-dressed and impeccable. He flashed to the side and let Celestina enter the room. Laber turned off the music box that was playing. Celestina habitually sat down on the chair, ready to change into leather boots with shiny metal buckles. Laber locked the door and walked over to Celestine, staring at the leather boots. There was a certain expression in his eyes that suggested he was very impulsive...it looked as if he hadn't slept through the night. He stared intently at the leather boots on Celestine's feet: "Do you like it?"
Celestine: "Yes, sir."
Laber leaned to his knees and stroked her legs with both hands And the waist of the boot on the leg: "It's not very clean." Suddenly disturbed, "You haven't wiped it? Huh?"
Celestina: "No, sir."
Laber: "That's good... Oh, would you like me to show you another pair?"
Celestina: "Another pair?
. For example, lacquer leather."
Celestine: "Ah!"
Laber said with a smile, "Real lacquer leather."
Celestine: "Of course, sir."
Laber Approaching her: "What if a pair of yellows?"
Celestina made a bitter face, as if to say that she didn't like the color.
Label: "What? You know, the yellow leather is the brightest! There should be a pair. I'm going to give you a pair..." He pointed to the closet, "I'm getting ready... You'll see in a minute. , it will please you more than any other pair!"
Celestina was flattered: "Thank you, sir."
Rabble shook his head and walked towards the desk, motioning Celestine to follow him: "Give me your hand...please sit here...come, come over...oh! Now, my little Mary." Pulling her down and kneeling at her feet, "Don't say a word, don't say a word... You don't understand? All of this must be very strange to you. , strange...isn't it? But, you have to know, for people my age, many things make sense, don't they? Look, I'll give you an example..." He held the plug One of Lestina's feet, said, stroking the frayed boot, "These boots are dirty, aren't they? It's because I don't like women polishing her boots. No. Like...I've always had a lot of respect for women, Mary...my little Mary...don't be afraid...from now on I'll polish your shoes myself and polish your beloved boots...yes, myself ." He stood up and held her hand tenderly, "Now please stand up and take two steps...Two steps here..."
Celestina stood up inexplicably and walked back and forth in the room. Laber was engrossed in the movement of the leather boots on her feet: "Go on, go on! I'll see how your legs look when you walk in those boots!" ...let me see how they look when they are full of life! ...can you lift the skirt up and go...a little bit more and that's it." Labore was drawn to Tina's lap by Celeste The leather boots are fascinated. He stared at it helplessly, as if Celestina didn't exist at all, as if the boots were a pair of living creatures worthy of his love more than anything: "Let me see, it's alive, It's alive! The lovely rose in the wind... is alive again!"
Celestina walked past Rabble. He followed, walked to the chair, and helped her sit down: "Very good, very good... Mary, come and sit down... Now please take off your cute little boots and give me..." He Kneeling in front of Celestina, "Don't be busy, let me see the sole of the shoe first..." He knelt down on his knees, quickly touched the leather surface of the boot with his fingers, and then similarly gently touched the leather surface of the boot with his hand. Lifting one of her legs, she skillfully unbuttoned the buttons on the waist of the boot: "Look, it's a little worn, isn't it? It's okay, I'll fix it, it'll be like new..."
Laber stooped and hugged the toes of the boots, as if he was about to kiss them. Celestina watched and listened in trance.
Laber: "You see, I'm holding them in my hands, I'm going to put them away, these two beautiful little boots."
Someone banged on the door, it was Mrs. Montaire who had just finished "washing" . Labre stopped angrily and asked impatiently: "Who is it?"
"It's me, papa..."
Labre: "Is something wrong?" Madame Montaire: "
That's right: you're not with me Brea
View more about Diary of a Chambermaid reviews
