The Vatard Sisters by Joris-Karl Huysmans

Author:Joris-Karl Huysmans [Huysmans, Joris-Karl]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: General Fiction
ISBN: 9781907650536
Publisher: Dedalus Press
Published: 2013-05-13T04:00:00+00:00

XI

‘That’s one down,’ murmured Céline feeling very satisfied, ‘now let’s move on to the other.’ Here, victory was less certain. So Céline resolved to act in concert with Ma Teston. By reason of her age, her domestic virtues, and her incomparable expertise in cooking beans, this woman exerted an influence over Vatard that was without equal. Together, the two women would have a chance of demolishing his objections, and allow Auguste to triumph.

When Céline had informed her friend of the favour she required of her, Ma Teston was delighted, she laughed like a simpleton and, clasping her hands together, murmured: ‘How nice it’ll be!’ She was one of those women who cry when they see a girl making her first communion or a bride in white. To her, that colour conjured up touching thoughts, brought back innocent memories of childhood, her joyful longings as a virgin. Whether it was Auguste or someone else, it didn’t matter to her, but the thought that her little Désirée would trot down the aisle of a church, with a bouquet of orange blossom in her hair and her train sweeping the flagstones, made her so emotional that her eyes welled with huge tears; then her mouth split into a big grin, and she finally swore she would help Céline to convince her father.

A meeting was arranged. Then, that morning, Céline said to her sister: ‘You can go and have supper with Auguste this evening, I’ll arrange it all. You can even stay out with your intended until ten o’clock. There’s no need to come back before then.’

Désirée, who’d been deprived of her assignations in the evening mists and harassed by Auguste’s entreaties and protests, jumped up and, without asking any questions, went off to find her young man and tell him the good news. He broke into a lively jig in front of the press, and invited her to have supper with him at La Belle Polonaise restaurant.

In the workshop, Céline and Ma Teston prepared their big guns. It had been agreed that the old woman would open the firing, and Céline would confine herself to backing her up.

Vatard was surprised not to see Désirée at suppertime, but Céline hinted that she’d give him an explanation for her absence when Ma Teston arrived.

Vatard insisted she tell him straightaway. His daughter refused. Vatard began to get angry. She held fast, but thought the affair was starting badly. They didn’t exchange another word while the meal lasted. They were just settling down to a round of runny Brie, when Ma Teston entered.

Céline cast her a distressed glance and, going up to her, whispered: ‘Go on, Ma Teston, and be firm!’

The old lady solemnly pulled out a pair of breeches, a patch she wanted to sew onto them, a needle and a thimble, and in an unsteady voice, she began:

‘Vatard, when you asked old Briquet for Eulalie’s hand, what did he reply?’

‘He probably replied: “Take her, my boy.” But I don’t see what…’

‘It doesn’t matter whether you

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