A Start in Life [69]
eighteen thousand francs a year, and with the
twelve thousand which an uncle has just left to each of us, he has an
income of thirty thousand. So he pays his debts, and gives up the law.
He hopes to be Marquis de las Florentinas, for the young widow is
marquise in her own right, and has the privilege of giving her titles
to her husband."
Though the clerks were still a good deal undecided in mind as to the
marquise, the double perspective of a breakfast at the Rocher de
Cancale and a fashionable festivity put them into a state of joyous
expectation. They reserved all points as to the Spanish lady,
intending to judge her without appeal after the meeting.
The Marquise de las Florentinas y Cabirolos was neither more nor less
than Mademoiselle Agathe-Florentine Cabirolle, first danseuse at the
Gaiete, with whom uncle Cardot was in the habit of singing "Mere
Godichon." A year after the very reparable loss of Madame Cardot, the
successful merchant encountered Florentine as she was leaving Coulon's
dancing-class. Attracted by the beauty of that choregraphic flower
(Florentine was then about thirteen years of age), he followed her to
the rue Pastourel, where he found that the future star of the ballet
was the daughter of a portress. Two weeks later, the mother and
daughter, established in the rue de Crussol, were enjoying a modest
competence. It was to this protector of the arts--to use the
consecrated phrase--that the theatre owed the brilliant danseuse. The
generous Maecenas made two beings almost beside themselves with joy in
the possession of mahogany furniture, hangings, carpets, and a regular
kitchen; he allowed them a woman-of-all-work, and gave them two
hundred and fifty francs a month for their living. Pere Cardot, with
his hair in "pigeon-wings," seemed like an angel, and was treated with
the attention due to a benefactor. To him this was the age of gold.
For three years the warbler of "Mere Godichon" had the wise policy to
keep Mademoiselle Cabirolle and her mother in this little apartment,
which was only ten steps from the theatre; but he gave the girl, out
of love for the choregraphic art, the great Vestris for a master. In
1820 he had the pleasure of seeing Florentine dance her first "pas" in
the ballet of a melodrama entitled "The Ruins of Babylon." Florentine
was then about sixteen. Shortly after this debut Pere Cardot became an
"old screw" in the eyes of his protegee; but as he had the sense to
see that a danseuse at the Gaiete had a certain rank to maintain, he
raised the monthly stipend to five hundred francs, for which, although
he did not again become an angel, he was, at least, a "friend for
life," a second father. This was his silver age.
From 1820 to 1823, Florentine had the experience of every danseuse of
nineteen to twenty years of age. Her friends were the illustrious
Mariette and Tullia, leading ladies of the Opera, Florine, and also
poor Coralie, torn too early from the arts, and love, and Camusot. As
old Cardot had by this time acquired five additional years, he had
fallen into the indulgence of a semi-paternity, which is the way with
old men towards the young talents they have trained, and which owe
their success to them. Besides, where could he have found another
Florentine who knew all his habits and likings, and with whom he and
his friends could sing "Mere Godichon"? So the little old man remained
under a yoke that was semi-conjugal and also irresistibly strong. This
was the brass age for the old fellow.
During the five years of silver and gold Pere Cardot had laid by
eighty thousand francs. The old gentleman, wise from experience,
foresaw that by the time he was seventy Florentine would be of age,
probably engaged at the Opera, and, consequently, wanting all the
luxury of a theatrical star. Some days before the party mentioned by
Georges, Pere Cardot had spent the sum of forty-five thousand francs
in
twelve thousand which an uncle has just left to each of us, he has an
income of thirty thousand. So he pays his debts, and gives up the law.
He hopes to be Marquis de las Florentinas, for the young widow is
marquise in her own right, and has the privilege of giving her titles
to her husband."
Though the clerks were still a good deal undecided in mind as to the
marquise, the double perspective of a breakfast at the Rocher de
Cancale and a fashionable festivity put them into a state of joyous
expectation. They reserved all points as to the Spanish lady,
intending to judge her without appeal after the meeting.
The Marquise de las Florentinas y Cabirolos was neither more nor less
than Mademoiselle Agathe-Florentine Cabirolle, first danseuse at the
Gaiete, with whom uncle Cardot was in the habit of singing "Mere
Godichon." A year after the very reparable loss of Madame Cardot, the
successful merchant encountered Florentine as she was leaving Coulon's
dancing-class. Attracted by the beauty of that choregraphic flower
(Florentine was then about thirteen years of age), he followed her to
the rue Pastourel, where he found that the future star of the ballet
was the daughter of a portress. Two weeks later, the mother and
daughter, established in the rue de Crussol, were enjoying a modest
competence. It was to this protector of the arts--to use the
consecrated phrase--that the theatre owed the brilliant danseuse. The
generous Maecenas made two beings almost beside themselves with joy in
the possession of mahogany furniture, hangings, carpets, and a regular
kitchen; he allowed them a woman-of-all-work, and gave them two
hundred and fifty francs a month for their living. Pere Cardot, with
his hair in "pigeon-wings," seemed like an angel, and was treated with
the attention due to a benefactor. To him this was the age of gold.
For three years the warbler of "Mere Godichon" had the wise policy to
keep Mademoiselle Cabirolle and her mother in this little apartment,
which was only ten steps from the theatre; but he gave the girl, out
of love for the choregraphic art, the great Vestris for a master. In
1820 he had the pleasure of seeing Florentine dance her first "pas" in
the ballet of a melodrama entitled "The Ruins of Babylon." Florentine
was then about sixteen. Shortly after this debut Pere Cardot became an
"old screw" in the eyes of his protegee; but as he had the sense to
see that a danseuse at the Gaiete had a certain rank to maintain, he
raised the monthly stipend to five hundred francs, for which, although
he did not again become an angel, he was, at least, a "friend for
life," a second father. This was his silver age.
From 1820 to 1823, Florentine had the experience of every danseuse of
nineteen to twenty years of age. Her friends were the illustrious
Mariette and Tullia, leading ladies of the Opera, Florine, and also
poor Coralie, torn too early from the arts, and love, and Camusot. As
old Cardot had by this time acquired five additional years, he had
fallen into the indulgence of a semi-paternity, which is the way with
old men towards the young talents they have trained, and which owe
their success to them. Besides, where could he have found another
Florentine who knew all his habits and likings, and with whom he and
his friends could sing "Mere Godichon"? So the little old man remained
under a yoke that was semi-conjugal and also irresistibly strong. This
was the brass age for the old fellow.
During the five years of silver and gold Pere Cardot had laid by
eighty thousand francs. The old gentleman, wise from experience,
foresaw that by the time he was seventy Florentine would be of age,
probably engaged at the Opera, and, consequently, wanting all the
luxury of a theatrical star. Some days before the party mentioned by
Georges, Pere Cardot had spent the sum of forty-five thousand francs
in