Peeking Under the Covers

Chapter 10 continued... He continued, seeing that she was waiting for him to respond. “Then, when I saw myself in Dauphiné, I found that I wasn’t very far from the South, from Cannes, and the temptation was so strong that I couldn’t resist the desire to come here.” “To attend  Carnaval ?” “To see you,” he said in his low-pitched voice. A pink glow rose to Suzy's face. There was not the slightest overlapping implication in André's words. He had expressed himself with his usual simplicity, but something sincere and absolute vibrated there, awakening in Suzy's mind the forgotten memory. For a moment, as she had the first time, she caught a glimpse of the depth of André’s affection which she had rejected without understanding it. But today, even less than in the past, she couldn’t respond to it. Her soul remained far from that of André’s. An anxiety seized her, over the fear that he would speak to her again of the past. “Were you pleased with your day yesterday?” she resumed ha...

Chapter 9 continued... The snow had begun to fall again, and the wind scattered the flakes under a pale gray sky. André noticed nothing,for his mind was filled with the hope that he would be useful to M. Douvry. You  will  be  glad,  Suzy,  will you  not,  when  you  hear  what  fate  has  done  today?  he thought as he walked through the snowstorm.  If  only  you  knew  how  happy  it  would  make me  to  see  you  return  to  your  mother!  Oh,  my  dear  little  Suzy. At the same time, André was worried about the presence of Georges de Flers near Suzy in Cannes. He stillremembered...

Chapter 8 continued... André Vilbert, motionless near Suzy, had followed the whole scene playing out before him. His serious gaze enveloped the group formed by Georges and Suzy: he, with his aristocratic bearing, she, fine and elegant, appearing slender in her long traveling coat. They both came from the same world, and André felt horribly discouraged, seeing what a difference there was between him, so awkward, and this handsome young man whose proud face stood out from the thickness of his fur collar. A feverish bustle spread through the station, with the perpetual rolling of baggage carts and the movement of employees who circulated about, looking important under their braided caps. Passengers passed by, busy, calling out to each other, rushing into the train carriages where the temperature was warmer. The machine panted, ready to go. “All aboard, Messieurs! All aboard!” “My goodness,” Suzy whispered, suddenly thrown back into the feeling that the cruel moment to say good-bye had arr...

Chapter 7 continued... André hadn’t noticed Madame Douvry’s approach. The outside world no longer existed for him. He saw only Suzy’s brunette head, her gaze turned away from his own. He was seized with an irresistible desire to know his fate. “Mademoiselle Suzy,” he said, summoning all his courage. “You haven’t answered me. Is it because my request was absurd and foolish?” “No, but I beg you, let me think about this.” She wrapped him with a cautious glance. In that moment, she saw his stern face with its strongly defined features, now contracted by emotion, and his tall figure badly cut by his inelegant clothes. Without knowing why, suddenly there arose in her mind the image of a slender man, of extreme distinction, whose fair beard lighted up his refined face. And this man yielded to Suzy; he spoke to her in a respectful tone; he enveloped her in his gentlemanly courtesy, and he showed her affectionate sympathy in the hours when she was sad. An intense warmth flushed through Suzy. St...

  Chapter 6 continued... Then Lady Graham leaned over to Madame Arnay and in a lower voice asked, “Do you think that Mademoiselle Douvry would change her mind concerning her refusal? I find her so charming that I am very willing to go and plead my case to her myself. I’m sure I could not find more pleasant company. And since she’s your niece, well…Will you allow me to attempt to persuade her?” “Oh, certainly. You would be doing Suzy a great service by convincing her otherwise.” Suzy anxiously followed the young woman's movements, instinctively understanding that the two women were talking about her. When she saw Lady Graham approaching, nervousness consumed her. “Mademoiselle, although I am a stranger to you, will you do me the favor of granting me a moment with you?” Lady Graham asked when she reached Suzy. There was something cordial in the young woman’s smile that attracted Suzy. “My attention is all yours, Madame,” she said, following Lady Graham and coming to stand a little ap...

  Chapter 5 continued... “I prefer to warn you straight away, Mademoiselle, that I can only accept propositions that are very…understated because they are lessons for children whose work does not require much of the teacher's talent. In addition, the people who have already been sent to me have not been very demanding in their requests.” Suzy looked bewildered at the elegant young woman who was speaking like this, in the middle of this luxurious room where the smallest trinkets were expensive objects. A frank retort crossed her mind, invading her with a bitter feeling of contempt. Fortunately, a discreet knock at the door of the drawing room stopped all words on Suzy’s lips. “Who is it?” Madame de Vricourt said impatiently. “Come in.” The footman appeared in the half-opened doors. “Madame's carriage is on its way.” “Good, well,” she said. “I'm busy. You mustn't disturb me.” She turned back to Suzy, who was waiting, as unyielding as a young fighting cock. “Ah, I forgot, ...

 Chapter 4 continued... Madame Arnay looked at her poor sister, not daring to question her, a little embarrassed at the silence and the anguish-filled expression on her face. “Well, Jeanne?” she asked at last, unable to wait any longer. Madame Douvry looked up, torn from her sorrowful reverie. “Maybe you're right, Charlotte. Maybe I should resign myself to being separated from my Suzy. However, only if she agrees to it.” “Question her right away, for time is pressing! Any day now, Lady Graham could meet the travel companion she wants, and then...” Without answering, Madame Douvry rose and, ringing the bell, sent for Suzy. Before long, a light step resounded in the next room, and Suzy opened the door and came to offer her fresh face to her aunt to receive a welcoming kiss. “Mother, did you ring for me?” “Yes, Suzy. Your aunt has a proposal for you.” Madame Douvry's voice shook and that struck the young girl. “A proposal? For me?” she asked with a sort of anxious curiosity. “Yes,...

  Chapter 3 continued... When Madame Douvry returned to the drawing room a little later, Suzy gave her an anxious look, for she had guessed that something was going on. But Madame Douvry's face remained indecipherable. She had that painful fold to her lips that Suzy always dreaded seeing settle there. André Vilbert came once again that evening, and Suzy took an interest in his work as usual. Her fears dissipated for a moment, but, after André left, her anxiety returned. She was now alone in the living room. Her father had retired to his study, and the boys were already asleep. In the next room, Suzy’s mother recited the twins’ evening prayers with them.  Without knowing why, the timbre of her mother’s voice made Suzy want to cry. She stayed where she was, listening, not having the courage to occupy herself with something else. Suzy anxiously waited for her mother to return, both wishing and fearing to learn the truth from earlier that evening. “Have mercy, my God, on those who...

  Chapter 2 continued... “That's true! I am mistaken, indeed, but M. Vilbert is so reasonable, so serious, so solemn that it’s hard not to be confused at times. Oh, Maman, did you thank him for me?” “Yes, Suzy, but you can thank him yourself. I think he’s coming this evening to pay us his weekly visit. That is if his shyness isn’t troubled by the idea that you will be here to praise his work.” “I hope not. Yet, Maman, this is awful. I wouldn’t feel sorry if I was nothing more than a scarecrow to him, so that nothing this evening takes you away from me. When André Vilbert is here, you are busy engaging in conversation, and I can no longer have ...” Her voice trailed off. In fact, Madame Douvry always welcomed André Vilbert affectionately. She had at the same time, esteem for his intelligent and serious, almost austere nature, and compassion for the solitary life he led in Paris, where he had no family. In the past, M. Douvry had known André's father very well, a man who was very...