Book #1: Suzy's Dream (Chapter 4 - Part 2)

 Chapter 4 continued...

“‘Dear friend,’” wrote the old lady to Madame Douvry. “‘A young woman whose family I know very well, Madame de Vricourt, is at this moment looking for a music teacher for her two little daughters. I immediately thought of your Suzy. Madame de Vricourt is, for a few days, in the country, but at the beginning of next week, have Suzy go to her house on my behalf. I would be very happy if this interview could result in a favorable arrangement for your dear daughter. All my wishes, my dearest friend, for the success of this endeavor. I desire, as much as you do, to see this succeed.’”

Suzy gave a shriek of joy when she read these few lines. All her obsessive fears vanished, and hope, very lively in her, was reawakened, so fervent and so infectious, that poor Madame Douvry even came under its influence. Her anxiety was somewhat lightened.

On the very day that the blessed note arrived, Madame Arnay, who was passing through Paris, came while in between errands to see her sister, whom she knew to be unwell. She arrived, as usual, busy, absent-minded, and lavish with commonplace pleasantries. She filled the drawing room with her elegant personality and the overpowering perfume in which she enveloped herself.

“Jeanne, my dear, I am sorry to hear that you are tired, but in such a rainy, foggy season, discomfort is inevitable. I, myself, can no longer bear it. Germaine and I had so much to do when it came to choosing our fall outfits. We were in a real shortage. Eventually, I became exhausted from the succession of visitors at Le Castel. My dear, how I envy you for not having to worry about receiving your guests properly, entertaining them, and all of that!”

“I assure you, Charlotte, that I have other worries which are very important,” said Mme. Douvry simply, with a slight bitterness in her voice.

“My dear Jeanne,” her sister said, suddenly remembering she was paying a kind of condolence visit. She could change the note of her conversations with remarkable ease, and she continued with a sympathetic tone. “I must scold you. You haven’t a bit of composure! You are overly agitated for your husband, you are worried—”

“Don't you think, Charlotte, that I have some reason for that?”

“My God, my dear, certainly, I admit that you have a great deal of trouble, but we must not exaggerate things. You are going through a moment of crisis that will not last. Really, you can't expect to see your husband find a enjoyable position from one day to the next. A little patience is necessary.”

Mme. Arnay would have perhaps continued the course of her comforting words, but her eyes took in her sister's heartbreaking face, and abruptly she stopped. For that matter, whatever confidence she had in her own common sense, she had a muddled instinct that her words of encouragement sounded false. She was not without heart, only very frivolous and unaccustomed to losing interest in herself in favor of others.

Unexpectedly, a sincere desire to come to her sister's aid took possession of her, to show her sympathy, other than by empty words. She searched in her thoughts. A memory came to mind.

“Oh! Jeanne, I’ve heard that you want to find lessons for Suzy or a position as a teacher?”

Madame Douvry winced slightly.

“Lessons, yes. She must learn to rely on herself alone. But, at no price, would I like to see my poor little Suzy forced to perform such a hard task as being a teacher.”

“No, I understand,” said Madame Arnay, conciliatory. “But I have an excellent idea to propose to you. How did I not think of it earlier. It would be perfect! Listen to me, Jeanne... Do you know Lady Graham?”

“By name. I know you were waiting for her at Le Castel when Suzy left.”

Madame Arnay cast a rapid glance at her sister, believing it to be an insinuation, akin to a bon mot to the abrupt way Suzy had left Le Castel. But she brushed it aside. Her sister thought little of such petty questions. More serious interests occupied her.

“Well, my dear, Lady Graham is a charming woman, an American, and immensely rich!”  Madame Arnay continued cheerfully. “Her father owns emerald mines somewhere in Colombia or something similar. She married an Englishman, Lord Graham, who is to her the best of husbands. She adores him, and he returns the favor. It’s a household that needs supervision, including their three babies, the eldest of whom is barely more than seven years old.”

Here Madame Arnay had to stop for a second, her expressiveness having made her breathless. Her sister listened to her, taken aback, wondering where this biography would lead.

“Will you explain to me, Charlotte—”

“My goodness, Jeanne, how impatient you are. So, here's what I’m getting to…This winter, Lord Graham finds himself required to leave for Colombia to visit the famous mines. Lady Graham, who feels desolate and needs to distract her ‘widowhood,’ is going to spend the winter at Cannes, where she will enjoy the company of many friends. Only, as she dreads the solitude of everyday life, she wrote to me about ten days ago to ask me if I could not find her a lady or lady-in-waiting charming enough to help her bear the absence of Lord Graham. And Suzy…”

Madame Douvry interrupted her sister with an intensity she had never known before now.

“I don't suppose, Charlotte, that you’re seriously proposing to me that Suzy be separated from us?”

Madame Arnay looked astonished.

Le rêve de Suzy is in the public domain. All original additions, including translations, illustrations and chapter summaries, are copyright © 2025 by Marriah K. Nissen and may not be reproduced in any form without written permission from the publisher or author, except as permitted by U.S. copyright law. All rights reserved.