IN EXITU ISRAEL.
IN EXITU ISRAEL
AN HISTORICAL NOVEL
by
S. BARING-GOULD, M.A.
Author of 'Curious Myths of the Middle Ages,''Origin and Development of Religious Belief,' 'The Silver Store,' &c., &c.
VOL. II
LONDON
MACMILLAN AND CO.
1870
OXFORD:
BY T. COMBE, M.A., E.B. GARDNER, E.P. HALL, AND H. LATHAM, M.A.,
PRINTERS TO THE UNIVERSITY.
IN EXITU ISRAEL.
CHAPTER XXI.
When Gabrielle and Madeleine had retired for the night to the littlebedroom of the latter, Madeleine seated herself on the bed, set hercandle on the table, and holding Gabrielle by the wrists looked full inher face, and said abruptly: 'What brings you to Paris?'
The little peasantess was startled, and hesitated. Madeleine askedafter a moment's delay,—'You have come to trade on your youth andbeauty?'
Gabrielle's eyes opened wide. She did not understand.
'Yes,' said the Parisian flower-girl; 'God gives us comelycountenances, graceful limbs, and ready wit. These are our wares,set up at auction to the highest bidder. So runs the world. Goddid not make it so; it is the creation of privilege. I have triedmillinery-work—that did not suit me. I have tried wood-carving forchurches—that did not pay. I have sought admission to many anothertrade—it was not open to women. So now my mother has sent me toVersailles to[Pg 2] sell flowers to the nobles and gentry of the court, tobe coaxed and petted and flirted with, to try to bewitch, ensnare,shackle one of them. By all means, if possible, to entangle some richaristocrat. A glorious aim for woman! Hah! to estimate beauty at somuch; a straight nose at so much, ruddy lips at so much, dimples at somuch, laughing black eyes at so much, wit at so much, and virtue atnothing!'
She paused and shook Gabrielle's arms passionately. Then she went on:'Bread is scarce, all provisions are dear. Why? because speculators buyup the corn,—keep it back to create a famine, and enrich themselveson the sufferings of the poor. Can poor folk afford to keep daughtersat home to eat, eat, eat, and bring in nothing? First the interestedcreate destitution, and then they take advantage of it to buy of thedestitute what we would not sell except to save life. We are not poorhere,—we in this house, because we live on the scraps flung us by theprivileged classes. The corporal is salaried by the king to defend hismajesty and his majesty's prisons against the French people, whosefather he pretends to be; my mother makes caps and head-dresses for thegrand ladies, the wives and mistresses of the officers; Klaus gets hisliving from the ecclesiastics, who buy his statues; and I sell flowersto the queen and the court, and keep my eyes open, looking out for achance. Tell me now—why are you come here? On speculation?'
'I have come to Paris, because a lady whom I love is in the Bastille.'
'In the Bastille!' exclaimed Madeleine, dropping her hands.
'And I must do my best to obtain her release.'
The Parisian girl laughed.
'You are a foolish little peasantess,' she said; 'what can you do?'