Peeking Under the Covers

Chapter 11 Sweets! Candy!  The cry rose incessantly in the transparent and warm air through the clash of confetti. And the little balls of coated sweets — singular candies — passed by whistling, rough, scathing, hurried, and attacking everyone without pity. They dripped from balconies decorated with banners and flowers, and onto those dressed as multicolored dominoes as they elbowed each other on the quays, the bridges  the Corso, and the Rue Saint-François-de-Paule. Chariots passed by, strange or funny or charming; sea caves in the shade of which appeared mysterious naiads, whose hands opened full of confetti; Venetian gondolas; bizarre monsters worthy of the Apocalypse; gigantic flowers that advanced gravely, raining down the little candy-coated sweets from their unfathomable chalices; harvesters' carts on which were piled sheaves of wheat, studded with poppies, and transported under the feet of sturdy boys, while beautiful brown girls artistically grouped together as in a L...

In Chapter 10 we find Suzy enthralled with life in Cannes. Carnival, parties, and flower battles absorb her time, as do the attentions of the gentlemanly Georges de Flers. But life in Paris comes flooding back in with the arrival of André. Suzy is excited for news of her family but she also seems somewhat drawn to this new side of André; one willing to not only bring news of the Douvry family but also to indulge in the ostentatious side of life by making his way to Cannes and Suzy's side. There is also a conspiracy of sorts going on. André and Mme. Douvry have made a pact not to tell Suzy about the roots as to why M. Douvry has finally been hired on as engineer in his new endeavor. As we saw before, it appears André is still attempting to win Suzy's favor and heart, but in a way that keeps the aid to Suzy's father in the dark.  Will André succeed any better with Suzy with his willingness to enter her societal world? Or does the dashing Georges de Flers win out with his atte...

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 10 continued... Suzy waited some time for André to arrive. It was such a joy for her to think that she was going to hear about her dear home! The idea had brightened the closing of her day the day before, and it filled her young heart with a joyful thrill as if André's presence had brought her something of the perfume and charm of her home. But the morning was passing and the young man had not yet appeared. She was beginning to despair of seeing him, until André’s card was finally brought to her. She uttered such an expressive “At last! Finally!” that it was a great pity that André could not hear it, for it would have given him such happiness to hear her speak it. But the first words she addressed to him were well worth his coming. “Oh, Monsieur Vilbert! How glad I am to see you!” she said, with a sincere impulse that swelled André's heart. Life appeared to him, in that moment, as luminous as the ray of sunshine that played on the golden heads of the mimosas situated al...

Chapter 10 continued... Suzy found the presence of M. de Flers at Cannes pleasant. Surrounded by strangers, and feeling a little isolated despite Lady Graham's cordial welcome, she had felt real joy at George's arrival. He was a connection with those whom she had left behind in Paris. He knew them, and   she could talk to him about them. They had also both lived the same life at Le Castel, and she felt a deep pleasure in knowing – since she was far from her family – someone to whom she could say, “Do you remember?” and therefore reliving a moment of the past. She also noticed – young women have excellent eyes, after all – that Georges did not dread her company. On the contrary! And indeed, her vivacity, her freshness of impressions pleased the dilettantism of M. de Flers; they interested and charmed him, surprising him, he, who at times, was so jaded. And so, very willingly, he remained with her, finding, in hearing her talk, the same pleasure he had in placing on a canvas, the...

Chapter 10 On the edge of the violently blue sea, which glittered like sparks from the sun, the carriages advanced in two files under a shower of flowers. Anemones, violets, lilacs, and tuberoses clashed in the melee of a joyous battle, filling the air with their mingled scents. For it was a real struggle that was being fought, from carriage to carriage, between the curious refugees on the roads and the intrepid individuals who struggled on foot. They battled with a passionate ardor, but a joyous and chivalrous combat as their projectiles covered the ground with their fragrant petals. And incessantly the carriages passed by, all resembling something in bloom, some of them real marvels that attracted the enthusiastic acclamations of the crowd. “Well done, this team…Look, de Flers,” said a young man in a very elegant group of men, whose supply of flowers—the most respectable—had already been several times exhausted. “But isn't that Lady Graham's carriage? It is, indeed! Here come...

Chapter 9 closes with a sweet moment between André and his mother. At this point in the story, I'm pretty certain André is smitten with Suzy, to the point that he's willing to put his own good name on the line for M. Douvry with the engineering position. But, as we've seen, Suzy is not smitten with him, which poses a problem for our dear André. What would be the best recourse in order for him to gain Suzy's attention? And what about Georges de Flers? Is this the man with whom Suzy is truly smitten... Chapter 10 opens with a scene filled with flowers and Suzy's delight at all the goings-on in Cannes. Let's follow along and see where this goes! Chapter 10: Cast of Characters Suzanne (Suzy)   -- eldest daughter of M. and Mme. Douvry Georges de Flers  -- Suzy's friend Lady Graham  -- Suzy's travel companion André Vilbert  -- friend of the Douvry family Madame (Mme.) Douvry   -- Suzy's mother Monsieur (M.) Douvry  -- Suzy's father

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...

Amiens One place Ardel takes her reader in Chapter 9 is to the city of Amiens. Here, we meet André's mother and learn that phosphates might be in M. Douvry's future through the connections André has made. Considering this novel was published in 1914, right around the breakout of World War I, Amiens is worth mentioning because of the role it played during that war. Situated in northern France in the Hauts-de-France region, Amiens is well-known for its 13th-century Gothic cathedral, Cathédrale Notre-Dame Amiens, which is the largest in France. Although the city was fought over in both World Wars, it was the 1918 Battle of Amiens that stands out with Ardel's story. In just a few short years, where André stands on the steps of the cathedral with his mother, will the Hundred Days Offensive and the push towards the Armistice with Germany begin. Of course, following both World Wars, the city of Amiens faced massive reconstruction and recovery. Personally, I find imagining what was...

Chapter 9 continued... “Because, my child, accompanying me will divert you from your path, since I am going to the Ursulines ,” she said hesitatingly. “Never mind, Maman. Running errands in Amiens does not take very long. And then, I’ll come see you. I want to take advantage of being with you as much as possible.” As he spoke, he bent over a little, and his lips brushed the white hairs on Madame Vilbert’s forehead. She no longer protested her son's proposal. He accompanied her, in fact, to the Ursulines, but then he took a path through the boulevards where the wind rushed in, biting and harsh, reddening the faces of the few walkers who diligently took their Sunday walks. He soon arrived in front of Aunt Sylvie's house, situated in a neighborhood at the very end of Rue Laurendeau. It was the old lady herself who opened the door. “Ah,André! My dear, I am very glad to see you! Come in quickly, you must be freezing. Come over here. Before going to the Salute , my dear, old Flora ma...